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V,IBRARy 

OF  THE 
UKrVERSITY 

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cm  &  RsaiosAL  PLANaiaa 


ClK  Tiiiprovement  of 
Boulder  Colorado 


The  Improvement  of 
Boulder  Colorado 


REPORT  TO  THE  CITY  IMPROVEMENT 

ASSOCIATION 
BY    FREDERICK    LAW   OLMSTED  JR. 
CHARLES      ELIOT     PROFESSOR      OF 
LANDSCAPE     ARCHITECTURE 
IN       HARVARD       UNIVERSITY 

March  1910 


City  W^ 

The  Boulder,  City  '      .r 
Improvement  Association 

Founded  February  1903 


OFFICERS  1909-10 

JUNIUS    HENDERSON,    President 

E.  G.  FINE,  Vice-President 

FRED  WHITE,  Treasurer 

WILLIAM  J.  BAIRD,  Secretary 


Chairmen  of  Standing  Committees 

Streets,  Alleys,  Sidewalks 
A.  R.  COUZENS 

Sanitation,  Drainage,  Sewerage,  Water 
O.  M.  GILBERT,  M.  D. 

Tree  Planting,  Tree  Culture,  Street  Parking 
D.  M.  ANDREWS 

Education,  Floral  Culture,  Schools,  Window  Gardening 

Play   Grounds 

MAUD  GARDINER-ODELL 

Parks,  Lawns,  Floral  Culture 
(Vacancy) 


^ 


CITY  A^'^  ffi^*- 


CONTENTS 


Page 

INTRODUCTORY:      Purpose    of    this    Report 1 

BEAUTIFICATION   AND   COMMON    SENSE 3 

Beauty,  like  Economy,  to  be  Aimed  at  in  all  Municipal  Work..  .  4 

THE   NET    PRACTICAL    RESULT    TO   BE   AIMED   AT 4 

What  Boulder  is   Not 4 

Boulder's     Opportunity 5 

A   City   of  Homes 6 

Industrial     Enterprise •> 

Suburban     Farming '' 

THE   FEATI'RES   TO    BE   CONSIDERED S 

Public   Control   of   Private    Improvements 9 

Police    Power 9 

Influence    of    Taxation 10 

STREETS      12 

Reasons    for    Wide    Streets 12 

Streets   in  New  Additions 13 

Percentage   of   Area  in    Streets 13 

Misfit    Streets 14 

Advantages   of   Rectangular   Blocks 15 

"V\'liere    Rectangular   Blocks    Make    Trouble 15 

Rectangular   Platting  and   tlie   Real   Estate   Promoter 15 

Who  is  Responsible  for  the  City's   Interest   in   Street  Platting?.  .  16 

The   New   York   Gridiron 16 

CITY     PLANNING IS 

Advance  in  the  Art   of  City  Planning Ifi 

Enforcement  of  City  Plan  by  Early  Acquisition  of  Streets 17 

Establishment  of  City  Plan  by  Proclamation 17 

The  System  of  Official  Bluff  and  Special  Privilege IS 

Unconstitutional   Efforts   to   Establish   City   Plans 19 

American  Backv.-ardness   in   City   Planning 19 

What  Can  Be  Done 19 

NEED      OF      A      PERMANENT       ADMINISTRATIVE       OFFICER       IN 

CHARGE   OF   CITY    PLAN 20 

Objection  to  Temporary  Special  Commission 20 

Need    of    Appropriations 21 

Official    Backing 21 

The    Financial    End 21 


£»iS3444S- 


CONTENTS. 


Pa 


SPECIFIC   SUGGESTIONS  AS   TO   STREET   IMPROVEMENTS. 


Broadway     

To    the    Southwest 

Flagstaff  Mountain   Road 

Special     Problems 

To    the   Northwest 

Fourth   or   Fifth    Street 

Policy  as   to   Street   Railway   Location.s 

Twelfth    Street 

Twentieth     Street 

Twenty-Fourth     Street 

To   the  Northeast 

To  the  East 

Twenty-Eighth    Street 27 

From  Seventeentli  Street  South  and  Southeast 27 


A    FUNDAMENTAL    PRINCIPLE    IN    CITY    PLANNING:      DISTINC- 
TION BETWEEN  MAIN  THOROUGHFARES  AND  LOCAL 

STREETS     2S 

Effect   of   Such  Planning  on   Real   Estate   Values 29 

DETAILED    IMPROVEMENT    OF    STREETS 29 

Roadway     Width 3n 

Form   of   Gutters;    Storm    Water   Drainage 31 

Kinds   of  Pavement 31 

The   Point   of  View   in   Choosing   Pavements 31 

Extravagant   Pavements;   the   Real   Measure  of  Cost 33 

Asphalt     33 

Modern   Wood   Blocks 33 

Bitulithic      34 

Brick     34 

Block    Pavements 34 

Gravel     34 

Crushed    Stone 35 

Objections   to   Macadam 35 

Bituminous     Binders 36 

The  Cause  of  Success   and   Failure  With   Bituminous  Binders....  36 

Oil     Treatment 37 

Summary   as   to   Paveinents 37 

SIDEWALKS     37 

Sidewalk     Edges 38 

STREET     TREES 39 

Silver   Maples   and   Tree   Butchery 39 

Systematic     Pruning 39 

Close     Planting 40 

Kinds    of    Trees 40 

Controlling  Purpose   of   Tree   Planting 41 

Types  of  Tree  Planting 42 

Overarching    Avenues 42 

Open     Avenue 42 

Avenues  Decorated  by  Small  Trees 43 


CONTENTS. 


Uniform   Trees    in    Strui.^lU    Streets 44 

Varied    Trees   on    Pietnres(nu'    Sti'eets 45 

Tjot'ation    of    Trees 4r) 

Irrigation    of    Street    Trees 4  0 

Bare    Earth    Surfaces 4  7 

Paved  Sidewalks  over  Tree  Roots 47 

Summary   as   to   Siiade   Trees 4,S 

STREET    FIXTURES 50 

Underground    Wires 50 

Tlie   Great   Harm   in  Overliead   Wires   and   Poles 51 

Street     Ligliting 52 

Arc  vs.   Incandescent  Lighting 52 

Lamp     Posts 52 

ARTISTIC  DESIGN  OF  MUNICIPAL  CONSTRUCTION 53 

The  Employment  of  Special   Expert  Designers 54 

WATERWAYS   AND    RELATED    PARK   OPPORTUNITIES 56 

Floods     56 

Encroachments    on    Flood    Plain 56 

How  Boston  Paid  for  Neglecting  its  Little  Flood  Problem 57 

The   Results   of  Neglecting   Boulder   Creek 57 

How  to  Deal  with  the  Flood  Problem 57 

Types    of   Treatment 5S 

Incidental  Value  of  Broad   Flood   Channel   Margins 59 

A  Boulder  Creek  Park 59 

FUNDAMENTALS   OF  PARK  DESIGN   FOR   BOULDER 50 

The  Outlook  from  Shade  to  Sun 60 

The   Sunny   Sheltered   Corner 60 

A  Special  Type  of  Recreation  Ground   Proper  for  Boulder 61 

The  Design  of  the  Boulder  Creek  Reservation 61 

OUTLINE  OP  PROPOSED  PUBLIC  HOLDINGS  ALONG  BOULDER 

CREEK     62 

River    Drive 6.3 

Play    Field 63 

Upla.nd    Drive   and   View 64 

River  Drive  and  Large  Athletic  Field 65 

The   Cost    of   Delay 65 

SEWAGE    DISPOSAL    PLANT 65 

Sewage     Farms 66 

Reasons  for  a  City   Sewage   Farm 67 

BOULDER   CREEK   ABOVE   TWELFTH    STREET 68 

SUNSHINE    CANON    CREEK 70 

THE   REAL   ESTATE   VALUE    OF   PERMANENT   VIEWS 71 

A   Special   Opportunity 71 

RED     ROCKS 72 

MOUNTAIN     AVENUE 72 


CONTENTS. 


Page 
TREATMENT    OF    FARMERS'    DITCH 73 

Pleasant    Improvements      now      Existing     along      the      Farmers' 

Ditch     T  i 

OPPORTUNITY    PRESENTED    BY    THE    IRRIGATING    DITCHES 74 

An    Aesthetic    Predicament 75 

How  to   Get  Park  Value  from   the  Ditches 76 

Beasley    Ditch 79 

County    Road    Boulevard 79 

NEEDS  OF  EASTERN  PART  OF  CITY SO 

PARKS  AND  OTHER  PUBLIC  OPEN  SPACES 81 

The  People  and  the  City  Plan SI 

Back    Yards    vs.    Parks SI 

Deep   Lots   and   no   Parks S2 

Shallow   Lots  plus   Parks 82 

Lots  are   Getting  Shallower S3 

But  no  Parks  are  Made  from  the  Savings S3 

Who   Benefits   from   Illiberal    Sub-Divisions 84 

How  the  Present  System  Works 84 

An   Uncontrolled    Monopoly S5 

Land   Speculation   a  Fair   Game   for   the   Players So 

But  the  Public  Suffers  in  the  End S6 

The  Public  Must  Protect   itself  and  the   Liberal   Landowners   by 

Controlling  the   Character  of  Sub-Divisions 86 

SELECTION   OF   LOCAL   PARK   AREAS 87 

Extent  of  Local  Park  Areas 88 

Specific   Parl<   Sites 88 

Lovers'     Hill 89 

Valley   in  Newland's  Addition 92 

Chautauqua     Grounds 93 

The  City   Forest 97 

PUBLIC     BUILDINGS 103 

CONTROL    OVER    PRIVATE    PROPERTY 105 

The   Billboard   Nuisance 105 

CONCLUSION     106 


The  purpose  of  this  report  is  to  offer  lielpful  siiggestions, 
drawn  from  experience  and  observation  in  many  other  cities  and 
from  a  brief  and  limited  though  eager  study  of  Boulder,  Ijearing 
upon  one  of  the  broad  fundamental  questions  at  the  base  of  all 
mmiicipal  activities,  namely:  What  physical  improvements  with- 
in the  reach  of  the  city  will  help  to  make  it  increasingly  con- 
venient, agreeable  and  generally  satisfactory  as  a  place  in  wliich 
to  live  and  work? 


"Beautification"  and  Common  Sense 


AYhcther  knowingly  or  not.  cxt'i'vonc  is  iifrcclcd  l»y  the  ap- 
pearance of  his  -surronndings,  and  one  of  the  iiii[)<ii'tant  faetors 
to  1)0  taken  into  acconnt  in  all  iuunici[)al  iinprovenu'iits  is  llie  in- 
flnence  which  their  appearance  has  npon  the  n\ental  and  ncrNous 
condition  of  the  people.  As  with  the  foodi  we  eat  and  tiie  air  we 
breathe,  so  the  sights  hal)itnally  before  our  eyes  ]ilay  an  immense 
])art  in  determining  whether  we  feel  cheerfnk  etficient  and  fit 
for  life,  or  the  contrary. 

The  attempt  to  secure  in  the  appearance  of  our  surroundings 
those  qualities  which  make  for  good  may  he  called  "beaut ilica- 
tion,"  but  the  maximum  effects  in  this  direction  are  never  to  be 
secured  by  means  of  things  done  purely  for  the  sake  of  decora- 
tion; they  are  to  be  secured  only  by  constant,  intelligent,  sensi- 
tive regard  for  the  quality  of  the  appearance  of  things  when- 
ever any  physical  change  and  improvement  is  undertaken  rt>r  any 
practical  purpose  whatsoever. 

AVhen  the  ])hilosophers  discuss  the  fine  arts  and  the  sense  of 
beauty  they  tell  us  that  at  the  root  of  it  all  is  Order:  sometimes 
subtle,  complex,  intricate  and  picturesque  to  .a  point  that  defies 
analysis,  but  always  so  far  as  analysis  can  carry  ns  Beauty  is 
Order,  is  deiiendent  on  the  avoiding  of  the  inii)ression  of  dis- 
order, although  that  is  only  the  ilrst  step  and  it  must  be  much 
more  besides. 

When  it  comes  to  the  practical  problem  now  before  us  of 
making  the  appearance  of  munici])al  surroundings  such  as  to 
contribute  to  a  healthy,  cheerful,  ])rogressive  state  of  nund  we 
can.  subscribe  heartily  to  the  words  of  one  of  these  ])bih)si)]iliic 
analysts:  "1  object  to  the  word  Nk'coration"  as  commonly  used 
by  designers,  because  it  implies  that  additions  are  likely  to  be 
im])rovenients.  *  =''  *  *  As  designers  *  *  *  we  mike  additions,  in- 
deed, to  achieve  the  greater  simplicity  of  Order,  and  for  no  other 
reason.  Our  object  in  all  cases  is  to  achieve  Order,  if  possible  a 

3 


ROULDER  CITY  IMPROVE^IENT  ASSOCIATION 

supreme  instance  of  Order  Avliich  will  be  beautii'ul.  We  aim  at 
Order  and  hope  for  Beauty.'"'  * 

AMtli  this  preparatory  statement  to  indicate  that  regard  for 

bettering  the  appearance  of  a  city  is  not  a  matter  to  be  delegated 

to  a  special  department  of  municipal 
BEAUTY,    LIKE   ECONOMY,  .    ./     ,      ,     .  ^^  ,.,  ,\ 

TO  BE  AIMED  AT  IN  ALL      activity,   but  IS  a     matter,     like     the 

MUNICIPAL  WORK  economy  and     durability     of     public 

works,  to  be  kept  constantly  in  mind  in  every  department,  we 
will  take  up  a  consideration  of  the  opportunities  and  needs  for 
municipal  improvements  that  most  impressed  us  at  Boulder. 


The  Net  Practical  Result  to  Be  Aimed  At 

The  first  thing  to  be  sought  in  taking  up  any  practical 
problem,  especially  when  it  is  big,  vaguei  and  ramified,  is  a  clear 
conception  of  the  ends  to  be  attained. 

Here  are  some  ten  thousand  people  who,  for  their  own  bene- 
fit and  that  of  their  children,  their  successors  and  others  whom 
any  of  them  may  see  fit  to  admit  to  the  community  by  selling 
or  leasing  additional  places  of  abode,  choose  to  obtain  by  joint 
action  numerous  advantages  which  are  either  impossible  or  at 
least  difficult  and  extravagant  of  attainment  by  individual  enter- 
prise. The  things  they  may  wdsely  undertake  so  to  provide  and  the 
manner  of  providing  them  will  depend  upon  the  needs,  desires  and 
means  of  the  individual  citizens  present  and  future. 

There  are  places  which  people  endure  merely  because  they 

find  there  opportunity  for  economic  gain,  and  are  thus  enabled 

to  save  up  monev  on  which  to  enjov 
WHAT  BOULDER  IS   NOT       ...        .         t  /        ,  ^.  ''    ' 

^^  lite  elsewhere  at  a  later  tmie  or  to 
attain  certain  of  the  comforts  and  advantages  of  increased  income 
Bufficient  in  their  minds  to  offset  the  loeal  disadvantages.  In  such 
places  conditions  making  for  comfort  and  happiness  of  living, 
however  important  for  mitigating  the  drawbacks  of  the  locality, 
must  be  regarded  as  entirely  secondary  to  conditions  that  make 


*  Denman  W.  Ross:    Theory  of  pure  design. 

4 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REl'ORT 

for  increased  economic  productiveness.  ]f  Ly  slaiuliiig  a  little 
more  discomfort  and  dirt  and  ngiiiiess  and  noit^e  and  worry  witli- 
ont  actually  breaking  down,  a  man  can  sliorlen  the  period  of 
stay  in  such  a  place  that  may  be  necessary  for  making  the  money 
he  thinks  he  needs  in  order  to  lead  a  comfortable  and  happy  life 
elsewhere,  why  he  is  probably  right  to  endure  them. 

Boulder  is  plainly  not  such  a  place,  and  the  main  lookout  of 
the  citizens  is  not  how  to  make  money  as  quickly  as  possible  so  as 
to  go  somewhere  else  to  enjoy  life,  but  how  to  get  as  much  satis- 
faction out  of  life  as  they  can  in  a  very  agreeable  locality  with- 
out the  expenditure  of  more  money  than  they  arc  able  to  com- 
mand while  continuing  to  lead  a  satisfactory  life. 

Stretching  away  from  Boulder  to  the  Allegheny  mountains 
extends  an  enormous  region  of  fertile  productive  land,  the  seat 

BOULDER'S   OPPOR-  "^^  '^   ^^^^^>'     growing     population     of 

TUNITY  hard-working,  money-making     people. 

"With  all  its  advantages  for  production  this  great  region  has 
certain  obvious  drawbacks  as  a  place  for  the  enjoyment  of  life, 
drawbacks  of  climate,  for  example,  and  the  drawback  of  relative 
monotony  of  scenery.  Out  of  this  region  are  coming  in  steadily 
increasing  numbers  of  people  of  two  classes  in  search  of  places  where 
they  may  find  rest  and  enjoyment  of  life.  First,  there  are  those 
who  have  decided,  like  many  of  the  present  citizens  of  Boulder, 
either  because  of  the  threat  of  ill-health  or  because  their  eyes  are 
opened  to  a  "wiser  philosophy  of  life,  to  shift  their  permanent 
home,  with  what  savings  they  may  have,  to  a  place  where  con- 
ditions are  more  favorable  for  enjoying  life  as  it  passes.  Second, 
there  are  those,  of  whom  comparatively  few  have  yet  sought 
Boulder,  who  will  continue  to  maintain  their  chief  place  of  resi- 
dence where  their  productive  Avork  is  done,  but  with  their  famil- 
ies will  seek  rest  and  recreation  for  some  weeks  or  months  of  every 
year  amid  different  and  more  refreshing  surroundings.  These 
last  are  not  the  class  called  tourists,  who  hastily  pass  through  a 
place  which  attracts  them,  leaving  a  few  nickels  behind  or  per- 
haps paying  a  liberal  tribute  for  the  services  and  materials  they 
demand,  but  taking  not  the  slightest  interest  in  the  welfare  of 


P.OULDER  CITY   IMPROVEMEXT  ASSOCIATION 

the  communit}'-  and  often  conducting  themselves  so  as  to  interfere 
seriously  Avith  the  comfort  and  welfare  of  those  of  the  permanent 
residents  not  immediatel}^  dependent  upon  them  for  financial 
profit.  We  refer  rather  to  those  that  stay  long  enough  each  sea- 
son to  become  identified  in  a  measure  with  the  community,  who 
intend  to  return  again  and  become  in  many  instances  householders 
and  taxpayers,  ready  to  do  their  share  toward  making  the  place 
still  more  convenient,  agreeable,  and  economical  as  a  pkice  of 
residence. 

The  manufacture  of  the  best  possible  city  of  agreeable  homes 
attainable  with  the  means  at  its  command  and  with  the  physical 

opportunities    and   limitations    of    the 
A  CITY  OF  HOMES  locality  is,   then,  tlie  ])rincipal      busi- 

ness which  the  community  has  before  it.  Boulder  will  have  a 
gradually  increasing  importance  as  a  local  distributing  center  for 
the  necessities  and  comforts  of  life  to  a  tributary  area  of  farm- 
ing and  mining  country  of  limited  extent,  and  first  rate  facilities 
for  carrying  on  this  business  need  to  be  kept  in  view,  parallel 
with  the  problem  of  a  perfect  city  of  homes  as  such.  The  pres- 
ence of  the  State  University  means  that  Boulder  will  always  have 
a  large  body  of  students,  of  teachers  and  of  scholar! v  people  not 
directly  engaged  in  teaching,  all  occupied  with  intellectual  pur- 
suits and  supported,  like  most  of  those  who  Avill  seek  Boulder  for 
health  or  pleasure,  wholly  or  largely  by  funds  accumulated  else- 
Avhere  or  by  others.  The  meeting  of  the  needs  of  all  these  people, 
in  the  way  of  food,  shelter,  merchandise  of  all  sorts,  professional 
and  personal  service,  transportation  and  entertainment,  will 
occupy  and  support  a  great  number  of  others;  but  all  the  facilities 
for  business  of  this  sort  are  of  course  an  essential  part  of  a  good 
city  of  homes. 

What  other  things  need  to  be  taken  into     account?     What 
other  occupations  need  to  be  reckoned  Math  and  provided  for  on 

a  serious  scale?  Xothing,  we  believe, 
INDUSTRIAL    ENTERPRISE       ^^.^^-^^   ^^.^^^^^^   ^^^  ^^^^^^  ^|^^^^   incidental 

to  a  city  of  homes ;  nothing  which  woidd  be  inconsistent  there- 
with or  detract  from  the  excellence  thereof.  Such  manufacturing 


THE  FRKD'ERICK  EAW  OEMSTED  JR.  REJ'ORT 

as  may  l)e  carried  on  without  the  sligiitest  drawhack  in  the  way 
of  noise,  dirt,  disorder,  or  annoyance  to  tliose  not  connected  witli 
it  woukl  be  very  well,  because  it  would  support  a  certain  nundjer 
of  people  and  enable  them  to  liavc  the  advantage  of  lixiiig  in 
Boulder  instead  of  being  compelled  to  live  elsewhere;  but  any 
manufacturing  or  other  business  which  is  not  free  from  such 
drawbacks  would  l)e  a  positive  injury  to  the  main  business  of  the 
city  with  no  corresponding  advantage  to  the  city  at  large,  only 
a  private  advantage  to  a  few  persons.  It  would  be  a  taking  from 
all  for  the  sake  of  a  few,  and  developments  in  that  direction, 
however  speciously  they  may  be  presented  and  boomed  by  financi- 
ally interested  promoters,  ought  steadily  to  be  resisted  by  public 
opinion. 

In  considering  public  improvements,  therefore,  no  regard 
need  be  paid  to  the  possible  requirements  of  general  manufactur- 
ing or  other  business  inconsistent  with  the  noiiiial  requirements 
of  a  city  of  homes. 

Any  manufacturing,  however,  such  as  brick  making,  or  any 
other  business  no  matter  how  unsightly  or  unattractive,  such  as 
swill  collection  and  disposal,  that  may  be  required  economically 
to  meet  the  needs  of  a  city  of  homes  must  be  provided  for,  and 
so  far  as  public  action  can  affect  them  at  all  should  be  provided 
for  in  such  a  way  that  the  business  may  be  carried  on  as  cheaply 
and  as  well  as  possible,  keeping  the  objectionable  features  reduc- 
ed always  to  a  minimum. 

Without  discussing  others,  there  is  one  kind  of  primary  pro- 
ductive business  not  in  the  least  inconsistent  with  a  community 

of  pleasant  homes,  a  consideral)le  de- 
SUBURBAN  FARMING  vclopment   of  which   may  perhaps  be 

looked  forward  to  in  the  outskirts  of  Boulder.  Irrigation  farming 
is  only  at  its  beginning  as  yet  in  Colorado,  and  those  who  practice 
it  have  carried  over  into  it  tradition's  of  farming  under  quite 
other  conditions.  The  limit  of  the  irrigable  area  is  in  sight  and 
with  the  limitation  of  the  area,  under  the  favorable  conditions  of 
soil  and  climate  about  Boulder,  more  intensive  cultivation  is 
bound   to   develop,   which   means  larger   cro])s,   more   labor,   and 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

smaller  farms.  It  means  rather  market  gardens  than  farms  in  the 
old  sense,  and  a  closer  gathering  together  of  the  farmers'  or  gar- 
deners' houses,  making  possible,  if  the  opportunity  is  wisely 
utilized,  many  of  the  advantages  of  town  or  suburban  life.  Most 
cities  of  rapid  and  isolated  growth — and  Boulder  for  its  size  is  an 
example  of  that  class — show  no  t3^pical  suburban  development.  As 
in  other  such  cities,  there  is  at  most  points  on  the  outskirts  of 
Boulder  a  sharp  distinction  between  the  city  lot,  a  closely  stan- 
dardized article  as  to  size,  and  the  undivided  farm  land  of  the 
country.  There  is,  to  be  sure,  a  margin  around  the  occupied  city 
where  houses  are  a  good  deal  scattered,  but  they  generally  stand 
on  small  lots  with  vacant  lots  between  them  that  are  generally 
unproductive  and  uncared  for.  Only  in  certain  regions,  developed 
for  the  most  part  at  a  period  when  Boulder  was  growing  very 
slowly  and  adjusted  itself  more  perfectly  to  the  conditions  for 
the  time  being,  is  there  much  of  that  truly  and  typically  suburban 
character  that  affords  such  admirable  conditions  for  the  kind  of 
home  life  which  it  seems  to  be  the  main  business  of  Boulder  to 
provide  for — homes  with  land  enough,  under  irrigation,  for  really 
useful  and  productive  gardens  that  are  not  only  a  pleasure  but  a 
source  of  substantial  saving  or  even  profit,  with  land  enough  for 
a  measure  of  privacy  and  real  home  life  outside  the  walls  of  the 
house  in  the  gracious  Colorado  climate,  and  yet  close-set  enough 
to  bring  neighbors  and  school  and  church  and  stores  and  the  other 
advantages  of  community  life  within  convenient  reach. 


The  Features  To  Be  Considered 

The  most  conspicuous  features  in  the  physical  equipment  of 
the  city  fchat  come  more  or  less  completely  and  directly  under 
public  control  arc  (1)  the  streets,  devoted  primarily  to  the  passage 
of  persons  and  vehicles  including  street  cars,  with  incidental  use 
as  places  of  exercise  and  recreation;  (2)  the  water  ways,  includ- 
ing the  natural  and  artificial  channels  for  the  discharge  of  storm 
water  and  the  main  irrigating  ditches;  (3)  public  open  spaces  de- 
voted mainly  to  ^Durposes  of  recreation  or  education,  but  also  to 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

various  special  functions;  and  (4)  public  and  quasi-public  build- 
ings. 

The  equipments  for  the  suppl}^  of  water,  gas  and  various 
forms  of  electric  service  and  for  the  removal  and  disposal  of 
sewage  and  other  wastes  are  of  course  of  the  utmost  importance, 
though  less  conspicuous;  they  form  a  special  province  of  munici- 
pal equipment  and  management  with  which  this  report  will  not 
deal  except  insofar  as  they  bear  upon  the  four  subjects  first 
enumerated. 

One  other  subject,  which  is  of  course  the  finally  determining 
factor  in  regard  to  the  general  excellence  of  a  city,  is  the  char- 

PUBLIC  CONTROL  OF  PRI-  ^'^^^^  °^  development  and  maintenance 
VATE  IMPROVEMENTS  that  takes  place  on  the  private  lands 
to  which  all  the  public  improvements  are  ancillary.  The  spirit 
and  principles  of  democracy,  of  personal  freedom  and  individual 
responsibility,  with  which  we  dare  not  tamper  if  we  hope  to  make 
well-grounded  and  permanent  adv^ance,  preclude  any  ]iublic  au- 
thority from  minutely  directing  this  development;  yet  the  pub- 
lic cannot  avoid  influencing  it  in  two  specific  ways,  apart  from 
the  influence  of  public  sentiment  as  such. 

1.     It  does  so  directly  and  in  a  negative  or  prohibitory  way 
through  the  police  power,  by  exercise  of  which  it  is  bound  to  pre- 
POLICE   POWER  vent  such  use  of     private     lands     as 

would  unreasonably  injure  or  jeopardize  the  safety,  the  health  or 
the  comfort  of  others.  The  final  arbiter  for  determining  what 
constitutes  a  reasonable  standard  of  public  safety,  health  and 
comfort,  with  which  individual  property  owners  are  not  allowed  by 
the  courts  to  interfere  for  the  sake  of  their  private  pleasure  or  pri- 
vate gain,  is  nothing  but  sustained  public  opinion.  "With  every 
century,  with  every  decade,  in  progressive  countries  the  standard 
is  raised. 

Indeed  one  means  of  measuring  the  civilization  of  any  com- 
munity is  to  be  found  in  the  effectiveness  with  which  the  build- 
ing ordinances,  the  regulations  of  the  Boards  of  Health  and  the 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEAIEXT  ASSOCIATION 

other  applications  of  the  police  power  })revent  the  individual 
from  seriously  endangering  or  discomforting  others  without  need- 
lessly hampering  his  freedom  of  enterprise  in  harmless  or  bene- 
ficial directions. 

2.     The  public   also   influences  the   develojDment   of  private 

property   in    a  positive    though   indirect   manner      through      its 

method  of  distributing  the  burden  of 
INFLUENCE  OF  TAXATION    ^,  .^.  t^  t  • 

tlie  public  expenditures.  License  fees, 

franchise  taxes,  fees  for  special  services,  special  assessments  for  the 
installation  of  special  public  works  or  for  their  maintenance  and 
operation,  and  other  special  sources  of  public  revenue,  all  tend  ac- 
cording to  their  amount  and  the  factors  which  are  made  to  de- 
termine how  much  of  them  must  be  paid  by  any  given  property 
o^vaier,  to  make  certain  courses  of  action  in  the  development  or 
neglect  of  his  property  more  profitable  or  less  profitable,  as  the 
case  ma}'  be.  The  total  amount  remaining  to  be  raised  by  direct 
taxation  of  real  and  personal  estate  and  the  wide  range  of  choice 
exercised  in  practice  by  assessors  either  deliberately  or     uncon- 
sciously in  shifting  its  burden  more  or  less  heavily  upon  personal 
property,  upon  land  in  various  conditions  of  use  and  neglect,  and 
upon  buildings  and  other   improvements,   still  further   infiuence 
in  a  very  marked  way  the  action  which  the  property  owmer  is 
likely  to  take.  Some  municipalities  have  used  the  control  over  the 
jDOwer  of  taxation  deliberately  and  specifically  to  induce  a  desired 
class  of  improvements  on  private  property  by  ofl^ering  exemption 
for  a  term  of  years  from  certain  controllable  taxes  upon  improve- 
ments of  the  class  desired.  Not  infrequently  a  tax  is  applied  with 
a  distinct  view  to  the  discouragement  of  certain  classes  of  private 
undertakings  as  compared  Avith  others,  as  in   the  familiar  high 
license  fees  for  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  and  the  less  fa- 
miliar but  growing  practice  of  taxing  bill-boards.  The  subject  is 
a  very  complex  one  and  surrounded  with  legal  and  political  pit- 
falls, but  it  cannot  be  ignored.  Anyone  whose  voice  has  an  in- 
fluence in  controlling  or  modifying  at  any  point  the  incidence  of 
the  burden  of  taxation  and  who  has  a  regard  for  the  physical 
characteristics  of  his  town  is  bound  to  consider  with  the  utmost 

10 


THE  FRED'ERTCK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

care  what  sort  of  thing  a  possible  change  in  the  taxes  will  tend 
to  make  the  taxpayer  do  with  his  property. 

Leaving  these  more  complicated  issues,  we  shall  take  up  in 
detail  the  four  elements  in  the  physical  equipment  of  the  city 
first  above  mentioned,  beginning  with  streets. 


Streets 

In  a  town  laid  out  as  the  fully  developed  central  portion  of 
Boulder  is  laid  out,  with  80-foot  streets,  20-foot  alleys  and  blocks 
300  feet  square,  about  40  per  cent  of  the  total  area  is  under  pub- 
lic control  in  the  streets.  The  ordinary  amount  of  travel  passing 
along  the  streets  could,  as  a  problem  in  transportation  engineer- 
ing, be  carried  without  change  in  the  character  of  the  vehicles 
or  the  proportion  of  foot-passengers,  and  without  changing  the 
size  of  the  lots,  upon  gangways  so  much  narrower  than  the  streets 
as  laid  out  that  this  proportion  could  be  reduced  to  10  per  cent.  In 
the  busiest  part  of  the  City  of  Havana,  where  there  is  more 
travel  of  all  kinds  than  Boulder  is  likely  to  see  during  the  next 
century,  the  proportion  is  below  10  per  cent.  What  is  the  balance 
good  for? 

1.  The  extra  width  is  valuable  as  the  only  feasible  insur- 
ance against  delays,  inconveniences  and  expenses     in     case     the 

REASONS  FOR  WIDE  fi'avel  should  at  any  time  in  the  fu- 
STREETS  ture     largely     outgrow     its     present 

volume.  2.  It  is  valuable  in  order  to  provide  conveniences  acces- 
sory to  mere  transportation,  such  as  the  right  to  stop  and  to  load 
and  unload  vehicles  in  the  street  instead  of  being  compelled  to  do 
all  such  business  on  private  property  by  means  of  interior  court 
yards  such  as  are  customary  in  Spanish  countries.  3.  In  order  to 
avoid  the  necessity  for  the  strict  regulation  of  traffic  movement 
that  would  be  required  if  the  travel  were  to  be  carried  expedi- 
tiously upon  ways  of  the  minimum  width.  4.  In  order  to  afford 
freer  access  of  light  and  air  to  all  the  abutting  property  than 
would  otherwise  be  possible.  5.  Finally,  in  order  to  permit  the 
streets  to  serve  in  some  measure  purposes  of  public  enjoyment  by 
means  of  their  agreeable  spaciousness  of  appearance  and  by 
means  of  trees  and  other  decorations  which  the  greater  width 
makes  possible. 

These  are  sound,  strong  reasons  and  the  people  who  made 
the  original  layout  of  Boulder  appear  to  have  made  an  intelligent 

12 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

and  reasonable  choice  in  determining  tlie  proportion  of  street  area 
to  lot  area,  avoiding  an  extravagantly  and  inconveniently  large 
proportion  on  the  one  hand  and  a  mean  and  sliort-siiihtt'dly  small 
proportion  on  the  other.  Their  plan  is  open  to  some  criticism  in 
other  respects,  as  will  be  noted  later, — what  human  plan  is  free 
from  faults? — but  in  this  regard  it  was  an  excellent  start. 

Under  the  system  of  "additions"  platted  by  real  estate  own- 
ers upon  their  own  initiative  and  without  control,     the     newer 

g  .      Kjc\iu         parts  of  the  city  have  been  laid  out, 

ADDITIONS  naturally   enough,  with   a  less  liberal 

regard  for  the  interests  of  the  general  public.  These  "additions" 
are  not  laid  out  as  charitable  enterprises  and  there  is  no  reason 
to  expect  those  who  lay  them  out  to  be  influenced  by  other  mo- 
tives than  those  Avhich  appear  to  govern  them.  It  is  their  busi- 
ness to  get  as  many  lots  out  of  each  subdivision  as  they  can  and 
to  devote  as  small  a  percentage  as  they  can  to  street  area  without 
spoiling  the  sale  of  the  lots  by  making  things  too  conspicuously 
mean.  The  demands  of  purchasers  keep  the  standard  from  sink- 
ing indefinitely,  but  they  are  not  free  to  express  their  preference 
effectively  in  this  matter.  It  is  often  for  them  only  a  choice  be- 
tween evils,  and  other  factors  generally  seem  much  more  im- 
portant to  the  individual  buyer  than  liberal  street  width;  he 
wants  to  be  near  his  friends,  or  in  a  fashionable  quarter,  or  on 
high  ground,  or  near  a  car  line,  or  he  wants  easy  terms,  or  some- 
thing which  makes  him  ready  to  put  up  with  narrow  streets. 
Seller  and  purchaser  have  their  own  proper  personal  and  tem- 
porary ends  to  serve  and  it  is  not  the  business  of  either  of  them 
to  look  out  for  the  general  interests.  And  as  a  result,  roughly 
speaking,  the  more  Boulder  grows,  the  narrower  its  streets  get. 

In  the  original  town  of  Boulder  the  area  occupied  by  streets 

and  alleys  was  equal  to  43  per  cent  of  the  area  of  building  lots, 

PER  CENTAGE  OF  AREA        ^'''^  including  Court  House     Square 

IN  STREETS  with  the  streets  tlu""  total  area  under 

pul)]ie  control  is  equal  to  44  per  cent  of  the  area  in  building  lots. 

In  the  Chautauqua  Heights  Addition  the  area  in  streets  is 
equal  to  32  per  cent  of  the  area  in  lots.  In  the  jSTewIand  Addition 


HOl'LDl-.R  CTTV    IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

the  area  in  streets  is  equal  to  3G  per  eent  of  tlie  area  in  lots; 
East  Bonkler,  4"^  ])er  cent;  Mapleton,  35  per  eent;  Floral  Park, 
35  ]jer  cent:  Mawveirs  Addition,  3J  per  cent;  Interurban  Park, 
30  ])er  cc]it. 

In  none  of  these  additions  are  there  any  areas  except  the 
streets  left  under  public  control. 

The  tendency  is  natural  and  inevitable  unless  it  is  made 
somebody's  business  to  look  after  the  public  interest  in  this  mat- 
ter, and  although  the  tendency  has  not  gone  far  enough  as  yet 
to  lead  to  any  very  striking  results,  it  is  time  that  some  positive 
measures  were  taken  to  check  it  and  at  least  hold  to  the  stand- 
ards with  which  the  city  started. 

AVe  speak  of  this  matter  first  because  it  is  a  simi)le  and  posi- 
tive question  of  quantity,  easy  to  state  and  plain  to     see,     but 

there  are   questions  of  quality  really 
MISFIT  STREETS  ^^  ^^^^^^1^  greater  importance.  East  of 

Fifteenth  Street,  for  over  half  a  mile,  as  far,  that  is  to  say  as  any 
subdivisions  have  been  platted,  not  a  single  street  goes  through 
from  Pearl  Street  to  Arapahoe  Avenue  without  one  or  more 
kinks  or  angles  in  it  and  a  sharp  contraction  in  width.  At  the 
limit  of  the  plattings  24th  Streets  runs  through  straight  because 
it  was  an  old  country  highway,  but  it  is  narrow  and  even  it  stops 
at  Pearl  Street  without  any  connection  to  the  north.  Again,  Wal- 
nut vStreet  offsets  nearly  half  its  width  when  it  Jerks  across  the 
line  into  the  East  Boulder  subdivision;  Pine  Street  does  the  same 
thing  and  shrinks  in  width  very  perceptibly  when  it  passes  into 
Tourtellot  and  Squires  Addition;  Broadway,  which  as  the  south- 
ern continuation  of  12th  Street  forms  part  of  one  of  the  most 
important  thoroughfares  in  the  city,  shrinks  from  100  feet  in 
Avidth  to  80  feet  on  passing  into  the  University  Place  Addition, 
and  a  little  further  on  makes  an  angle  and  shrinks  again  to  60 
feet  wide. 

Another  difficulty  arising  out  of  the  system  of  leaving  the  lay- 
out  of  permanent  public   thoroughfares  to  private   parties   who 

14 


THE  I"R1-,D'RRICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

ADVANTAGES  OF  '''^^'^'  ^'^^^^  temporary  niul  special     m- 

RECTANGULAR  BLOCK  tcrest  in  the  result  is  beginning  to 
be  seen  where  the  growth  of  Boulder  is  encroaching  on  the  steep 
and  irregular  slopes  of  the  mesas.  A  flat  ])iece  of  paper  of  a  given 
size  can  be  subdivided  into  a  larger  number  of  standard  sized 
fragments  with  less  trouble  l)y  a  rectangular  system  of  cutting  up 
than  in  any  other  way,  and  other  things  being  equal  a  rectangular 
house  lot  is  apt  to  be  more  convenient  and  usable,  foot  for  foot, 
than  one  of  any  other  shape.  These  are  the  principle  reasons  for 
rectangular  subdivisions,  and  very  good  reasons  they  are.  Even 
WHERE  RECTANGULAR  when  the  flat  paper  is  the  convention- 
BLOCKS  MAKE  TROUBLE  ^1  representation  of  a  piece  of  ground 
that  is  far  from  flat,  the  advantages  remain  equally  strong  for 
the  dealer  in  lots,  who  alone  is  responsil)le  for  the  method  of 
subdividing  as  things  now  stand;  but  in  such  a  case  certain  dif- 
ficulties are  introduced  for  which  others  have  to  foot  the  bill  in 
years  to  come.  Steep  grades  needlessly .  burden  the  community 
with  the  triple  tax  of  inconvenient  and  costly  transportation,  of 
endless  successive  expenditures  for  making  improvements  in  the 
grade  when  the  inconvenience  becomes  intoleral)le,  improvements 
that  involve  not  only  the  cost  of  grading  and  of  tearing  up  a 
street  in  actual  use,  but  also  more  or  less  serious  grade  damages 
to  improved  property  along  the  line,  and  finally  the  tax  of  a  seri- 
ously increased  cost  of  maintenance.  On  the  other  hand,  the  the- 
oretical advantages  of  precisely  rectangular  lots,  although  they 
may  attract  the  inexperienced  ])urchaser.  are  a])t  to  l)e  counter- 
balanced by  sharp  differences  in  grade  between  one  corner  and 
another  that  have  to  be  overcome  by  costly  construction,  so  that 
the  only  man  who  gets  much  advantage  out  of  the  rigidly  rect- 
angular system  thus  applied  is  the  real  estate  promoter,  to  whose 
uncontrolled  discretion  the  choice  of  a  plan  is  left. 

Why  should  he  not  stick  to  the  rectangular  system  regard- 
less of  future  results?  As  before  mentioned,  he  is  not  subdividing 
RECTANGULAR  PLATTING      the  land  as  a  charitable  enterprise  or 

^^^'^PR^OMOTER^"^^'^^        "^^^^^>'  f"^  *^^  "^'i^'  impi-"vement  of 
Boulder.  In  some  cases  the  owner  is  doubtless  a  non-resident  or 

15 


BOULDER  CITY  lAIPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

a  temporary  resident  whose  ^nirpose  is  to  sell  out  at  as  good  a 
price  as  he  can  with  the  least  possible  extra  investment  for  sur- 
veys, plans  and  improvements,  and  then  get  out.  Why  should  he 
be  expected  to  give  elaborate  consideration  in  laying  out  the 
Ptreets,  as  a  well-managed  railroad  company  does  in  laying  out 
its  right-of-way,  to  questions  of  grade,  of  cost  of  operation  and 
maintenance,  and  of  promoting  the  permanent  prosperity  of  the 
section? 

And  yet  under  the  present  system,  if  the  real  estate  pro- 
moter does  not  happen  by  some  stretch  of  altruism  or  by  mere 

WHO  IS  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  luck  to  provide  for  these  permanent 
THE  CITY'S    INTEREST   IN  ir      •    +         +      •+    •  +   •      4.1     j. 

STREET  PLATTING?  public  interests  it  IS  certain  that  no- 

body else  will,  because  under  the  present  system  in  Boulder  no- 
body else  has  anything  to  say  about  it. 

It  is  just  a  hundred  and  one  years  since  a  committeeman  of 
Xew  York  City,  standing  beside  a  building  in  course  of  construc- 

THE  NEW  YORK  ^^^^^  ^"^^  looking  out   over  the   farm 

GRIDIRON  lands,  swamps  and  woods  that  stretch- 

ed in  'New  York  City  from  Bleecker  Street  to  the  Harlem  Eiver, 
picked  up  a  mason's  sieve  that  was  lying  near  at  hand  and  laid  it 
down  \\]um  the  map  of  Manhattan  Island,  saying  "there,  gentle- 
men. Avhat  l)etter  plan  could  you  have  than  that?"  and  because 
nobody  proposed,  anything  better,  the  mason's  sieve  plan  was 
adopted,  with  a  single  diagonal  line  angling  up  across  it  con- 
sistiug  of  the  old  country  highway  that  men  call  today  Broadway; 
it  was  an  ill-considered,  bad  plan;  and  thereafter  no  one  was  al- 
lowed to  open  any  street  except  upon  the  lines  of  the  sieve. 

N'ot  a  little  experimenting  has  been  done  m  the  years  since 
then,  both  on  the  question  of  how  to  lay  out  streets  for  the  best 
ADVANCE  IN  THE  ART  OF     pc'rmanent  interests  of  a  city  and  on 

CITY  PLANNING  tl>e  question  of  how  legally  to  enforce 

the  public  will  without  unfairness  to  landowners  and  without  an 
undue  burden  of  expense  upon  the  community.  Today  it  is  pos- 
sible to  speak  more  definitely  upon  the  former  question  than  on 
the  latter,  for  at  least  the  principles  governing  the  physical  de- 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

sign  of  cities  are  well  fixed,  liko  those  governing  the  design  of 
any  piece  of  efficient  machinery  or  any  work  of  fine  art,  but  the 
legal  question  lias  been  complicated  by  arbitrary  ililferences  in 
state  constitutions,  by  local  and  temporary  peculiarities  of 
statute  law,  and  by  the  gradually  altering  precedents  of  the  courts. 

Broadly  speaking,  two  principal  legal  methods     have     been 

used  to  secure  conformity  in  street  layout  to  plans  adopted  in 

ENFORCEMENT  OF  CITY       advance  by  city  authorities.  The  first 

'^'"quirement\)F^'  ^^  ^°^  *^^°  P^^^^^^^  authorities  to     lay 

STREETS  out  and  acquire  the  rights  in  at  least 

the  main  tlioroughfares  and  often  in  the  whole  street  sj'stem  of 
a  given  section,  some  3^ears  in  advance  of  the  physical  need  for 
the  streets,  leaving  the  construction  to  be  done  from  time  to  time 
as  required.  This  method  involves  the  assessment  and  payment 
of  damages  at  the  time  of  the  original  taking. 

This  system  accomplishes  the  purpose;  but  it  is  sometimes 
rather  hard  on  the  public  treasury,  especially  if  political  favorit- 
ism comes  into  play.  Certain  individuals  are  bound  to  be  paid 
cash  down  for  the  right  to  run  streets  through  their  farm  lands 
many  years  in  advance  of  the  need  for  constructing  the  streets, 
and  until  the  construction  takes  place  they  can  go  on  using  the 
land  for  farm  or  other  purposes  almost  as  though  no  action  had 
been  taken.  We  have  seen  streets  laid  out  in  this  -ray  in  Brooklyn, 
iSTew  York,  which  not  only  were  cultivated  during  many  years  by 
the  abutters  as  market  gardens  but  which  served  an  additional 
corrupt  purpose  through  a  contract  for  street  lighting.  Being 
public  streets,  even  though  not  open  to  travel,  gas  mains  were 
laid  in  them,  and  at  the  standard  price  per  light  the  municipal 
lighing  contractor  sent  his  men  night  and  morning  through  the 
rows  of  cabbages  to  light  and  extinguish  the  gas  lamps. 

The  other  principal  method  of  procedure  after  planning  a 
proposed  system  of  streets  is  to  publish  it  and  announce  that  no 
ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CITY  ^^^^eets  Avill  thereafter  be  accepted  by 
PLAN  BY  PROCLAMATION  the  city  which  do  not  conform  to  the 
plan.  In  theory  this  is  sound,  but  in  practice  the  results  are  wide- 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

ly  various.  Usually  the  city  officials  have  not  the  necessaiy  back- 
bone to  stand  up  for  their  plan,  and  a  persistent  and  cheeky 
promoter,  even  without  corruption,  can  not  infrequently  induce 
the  city  to  accept  a  platting  which  differs  more  or  less  radically 
from  the  established  plan.  Sometimes  the  promoter  simply  goes 
ahead  regardless  of  the  city  plan,  rough-grades  his  own  inade- 
quate streets  as  private  ways  and  sells  off  the  lots  to  more  or  less 
unsuspecting  citizens  and  leaves  THEM  to  fight  it  out  with  the 
city.  Thev  will  have  built  houses,  possilily  in  ignorant  good  faith,  on 
the  promoter's  so-called  streets,  and  when  they  come  ^\dth  a  de- 
mand for  curbing,  sewering,  lighting,  etc.,  it  is  too  much  of  a 
straiiT  on  the  easy-going,  good  nature  of  American  city  officials  to 
tell  them  that  it  was  their  own  fault  for  building  on  streets  im- 
properly laid  out  and  that  they  must  therefore  improve  the 
streets  themselves  as  private  ways  i  and  maintain  them  as  such  for- 
ever at  their  own  risk  and  expense.  If  city  officials  had  the  back- 
bone to  enforce  such  harsh  and  impersonal  justice,  and  stick  to 
their  announced  plan  in  spite  of  baby-talk,  a  few  such  unpleasant 
episodes  would  soon  establish  respect  for  tlie  adopted  ])lan   and 

THE  SYSTEM  OF  OFFICIAL     it  would  be  followed     without     more 
BLUFF  AND  SPECIAL  -,       -r^    ,    .,  ,      ,  n      ,       ■  -, 

PRIVILEGE  ado.  Bin  it  appears  to  be  a  Iciet  with 

which  it  is  necessary  to  reckon  that  in  the  mind  of  the  average 
American  official  any  general  rule  of  policy  and  almost  any  ordi- 
nance or  statute  law  is  more  or  less  of  a  bluff.  If  anybody  of 
good  standing  in  the  community  calls  the  bluff,  he  is  apt  to  think 
more  of  keeping  peace  in  the  family  and  avoiding  harsh  feelings 
than  of  hewing  to  the  line  in  the  execution  of  his  presumptive 
dnty.  If  he  disregards  statute  law  in  this  loose,  good-natured  way, 
some  reforming  busy-body  may  get  after  him  in  the  courts;  but 
where  it  is  merely  a  matter  of  general  policy  concerning  which 
his  office  must  possess  discretionary  power  in  order  to  make  the 
system  workable,  his  temperament  plays  havoc  with  the  general 
rule,  resulting  in  special  favors  for  the  more  aggressive  and  self- 
seeking  disregarders  of  the  public  interest. 

A  great  many  laws  have  been  put  upon  the  statute  books  of 

18 


THE  FRKD'ERICK  LAW  OEM  S'll-:i)  JR.  REI'ORT 

various  states  authorizing  cities  tlirougii  special  machinery  creat- 

UNCONSTITUTIONAL  ocT  for  the  purpose  to  establisli  street 

Ef'''ORTS_^TO  JSTABLISH        j,|^,^,^    ^,,    ^^.,,i,.,,    ^|,^,    ,,i„,1_,„,,hts    n,ust 

conform  under  various  penalties;  as  for  example  the  Board  of 
Survey  Law  in  Massachusetts,  which  provided  that  if  any  huihl- 
ing  or  other  improvement  was  constructed  within  the  limits  of 
any  of  the  proposed  streets  after  they  had  been  deiined  by  the 
Board  of  Survey  the  owner  should  not  be  able  to  collect  damages 
on  account  of  such  building  or  improvement  at  the  time  wlien 
the  street  is  actually  taken  over  by  the  city.  But  the  courts  have 
repeatedly  held  such  laws  to  be  unconstitutional  unless  provision 
IS  made  by  wliirli  the  land-owner  may  receive  payment  for  tlic 
encumbrance  thus  placed  upon  his  freedom  to  do  what  he  wills 
with  his  land.  Such  laws,  therefore,  when  they  accomplish  any- 
thing, merely  serve  for  a  time  to  strengthen  the  bluff  which  the 
city  puts  up  when  it  says  the  established  street  plan  must  be  fol- 
lowed under  severe  penalties:  which  deter  the  average  citizen  but 
v.hich  the  professional  knows  cannot  be  or  will  not  be  enforced  if 
he  boldly  persists  in  disregarding  the  plan. 

It  is  easv  to  see  that  the  diffi- 

AMERICAN  BACKWARDNESS    ^.^,,^^.   j^   intimatelv  linked  with  one 

IN  CITY  PLANNING  ■,  ,      ^   ,•    "x  j^  ^     ^ 

ot  tlu'  \veakest  leatures  of  our  whole 

American  ]~)olitical  and  administrative  system,  and  it  is  therefore 
no  wonder  that  the  situation  is  rather  discouraging  and  that  the 
street  lavout  of  American  cities  has  been  floundering  for  a  cen- 
tury without  appreciable  improvenuMit  while  a  whole  science  of 
street  ])lanning  has  been  developing  and  is  showing  its 
results  in  Euro])ean  cities  that  have  been  growing  at  the 
same  rate  as  our  own.  It  is  a  discouraging  situation 
but  success  in  it  is  immensely  importa]"it  to  the  fu- 
ture welfare  of  every  city,  and  the  practical  question  faces  ns 
"TAKIXG  THE  FACTS  AS  ^\E  FIXD  THEM  WHAT  CAX 
EEALLY  BE  DOXE  ABOVT  IT?" 

In   the   first  place   the   eity,   as 
WHAT  CAN  BE  DONE  represented     in     the     political'     of- 

ficials responsible  for  its  policies,  the  Mayor  and  Council,  must 

19 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

be  convinced  that  it  is  desirable  and  practicable  to  look  ahead  in 
tlie  matter  of  street  extensions  and  to  safeguard  the  interests  of 
the  city  therein,  and  that  such  insurance  is  worth  paying  some- 
thing for.  The  policy  having  been  accepted  as  a  sound  one,  the 
necessary  authority  and  funds  must  be  voted  to  enable  a  perma- 
nent administrative  officer  of  the  necessary  technical  ability  to 
develop  a  street  system  plan,  with  or  without  special  expert  as- 
sistance as  may  appear  advisable. 

"We  sav  "permanent  admin istra- 

NEED  OF  A  PERMANENT       live  official"     with     rcasou.      Even 
ADMINISTRATIVE  OFFICER        ,  .  .,.  .  , 

IN  CHARGE  OF  CITY  PLAN  American  cities  are  coming  to  rec- 
ognize that  tolerable  efficiency  in 
the  board  of  directors,  composed  of  changing  political  officers  re- 
sponsible for  the  city's  ])o]icy,  is  supplemented  l)y  an  adminitra- 
tive  and  executive  staff  of  experts  more  or  less  permanent  in  their 
tenure.  It  has  come  to  bo  generally  recognized,  for  example,  that 
an  officer  Avho  performs  duties  of  such  a  highly  technical  nature 
and  depending  to  such  a  high  degree  upon  continuous  personal 
knowledge  of  technical  details  as  those  of  a  city  engineer,  or 
his  principal  assistants,  can  only  be  properly  performed  if  they 
are  in  the  hands  of  an  expert,  non-political,  administrative  of- 
ficer, holding  office  practically  during  good  behavior;  as  distin- 
guished from  the  political  or  representative  officers,  whose  duty 
it  is  to  control  the  general  policy  and  the  rate  of  expenditure  of 
the  administration  in  accordance  with  the  popular  will  and  who 
must  therefore  change  with  more  or  less  frequency  in  order  fairly 
to  reflect  that  will. 

It  is  not,  in  our  opinion,  desirable  that  the  making  of  a  gen- 
eral plan  for  street   extensions  or  improvements  should  be   en- 
OBJECTION  TO  TEMPO-      trusted  to  a  special,  temporary     com- 
MISSION         "  mission  or  officer,  because  in  the  na- 

ture of  things  it  is  not  possible  that  such  a  plan  should  be 
brought  to  a  definite  finish,  like  plans  for  a  building.  It  is  a  mat- 
ter of  continuous  growth  and  of  a  certain  amount  of  continuous 
revision  and  the  duty  of  creating  the  plan  and  keeping  it  not 
merely  "up  to  date"  but  at  least  a  few  years  ahead  of  up  to  date 

20 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLALSTED  JR.  REPORT 

should  therefore  be  intrusted  to  a  ''permanent  administratire  of- 
ficer."' In  a  city  of  tlie  size  of  Boulder  such  a  duty  naturally  falls 
to  the  city  engineer,  in  a  larger  city  to  a  special  department,  but 
in  either  case  the  assignment  of  the  duty  must  be  accompanied 
by  vote  of  funds  for  the  necessary  assistance  in  doing  the  work. 
NEED  OF  ^^  ^'^  ^  matter  that  requires  initiative 

APPROPRIATIONS  and   time  for     careful     investigation, 

and  simply  to  assign  the  duty  to  a  busy  city  engineer's  depart- 
ment whose  resources  are  habitually  taxed  to  keep  up  with  the 
pressure  of  routine  duties  amounts  to  nothing  Avithout  a  special 
fund  available  for  pushing  this  particular  matter. 

Having  got  so  far,  the  Council  ought  to  pass  an  ordinance  to 

the  effect  that  no  street  will  thereafter  be  accepted  by  the  city 

except  upon  certificate  of  its  approval 

OFFICIAL  BACKING  i        .,  rv-  •         i  .    .i  ,         . 

b}''  the  otricer  m  charge  ot  the  street 

plan.  Of  course  this  cannot  prevent  a  subsequent  Coimcil  from 
eating  its  words  and  accepting  any  kind  of  a  street  regardless  of 
the  plan;  but  it  at  least  strengthens  the  bluff,  and  will  enable 
future  weak-kneed  but  well-intentioned  Councilmen  to  escape 
pressure  from  personal  or  political  friends  who  may  want  the 
plan  disregarded,  b}^  hiding  behind  the  permanent  official.  The 
latter  is  better  able  to  stand  the  pressure  than  a  political  offi- 
cial, if  he  has  even  a  half-hearted  and  tacit  backing  in  the  Coun- 
cil, and  he  is  helped  by  the  ]u-ide  of  authorship  to  pla}^  the  part 
of  the  hard-heartod  partner  with  a  better  grace. 

Finally  the  city  has  got  to  come  to  the  point  of  actually  ac- 
quiring locations   for   a   few   wide,   main   tlioroughfares    forming 

essential  features  of  the  gradually  ex- 
THE  FINANCIAL  END  pnnding  plan  far  enough  in   advance 

to  make  sure  that  they  Avill  not  be  blocked  or  seriously  narrowed 
or  deflected  by  private  improvements  or  rising  land  values;  and 
for  these  few.  good,  main  thoroughfares  the  cost,  which  is  after  all 
only  the  margin  by  which  the  damages  exceed  the  betterments, 
must  simply  be  paid  with  as  good  a  grace  as  possible,  like  an  in- 
surance premium  or  the  price  of  grain  sowed  in  the  fall  for  next 
year's  harvest.  Even  at  that  the  money  may  be  raised  on  a  long 

21 


r.OULDER   CTTV   niPROVliMEXT  ASSOCIATION 

term  boiul  issue  with  more  reason  than  tlie  average  expenditure 
i'oi-  niunicijjal  improvements,  most  of  which  give  tlieir  highest 
values  when  they  are  new  and  are  wearing  out  when  the  bonds 
fall  due,  whereas  proper  street  locations  of  course  increase  in  use- 
fulness with  every  year's  growth  of  the  city. 

The  above  appears  to  be  a  practical  programme  which  is 
within  the  discretion  of  the  city  without  having  to  go  to  the 
legislature  for  any  special  authority.  We  presume  there  is  nothing 
to  prevent  the  city  from  making  surveys  and  plans  relating  to 
land  outside  its  boundaries  which  may  at  some  future  time  come 
in.  since  it  is  permitted  to  own  and  operate  water  works  and  a 
park  outside  of  the  city  boundaries.  It  might  be  convenient,  how- 
ever, to  secure  some  additional  authority  from  the  legislature: 
that  is  a  matter  for  the  lawyers. 

If  any  legislation  is  to  be  secured  it  would  be  well  for  the 
lawyers  to  consider  the  following  device  for  diminishing  the  dam- 
ages due  to  taking  street  locations  for  future  development.  We 
are  not  aware  that  the  device  has  ever  been  employed,  but  it  does 
not  a])])ear  to  be  open  to  the  fundamental  constitutional  objections 
that  lie  against  most  of  the  special  laws  upon  this  subject.  When 
a  street  location  is  not  utilized  for  street  purposes  for  a  number 
of  years  after  its  acquisition  by  the  city  the  usufruct  of  the  land 
remains  in  the  hands  of  the  owner,  hut  his  tenure  of  the  usufruct 
being  uncertain  and  terminable  by  the  city  at  will  this  fact  can- 
not reduce  the  amount  of  damages  at  the  time  of  taking  very 
materially.  Also  this  element  of  uncertainty  of  tenure,  being  de- 
pendent upon  the  discretion  of  city  officials,  tends  to  introduce 
opportunities  for  favoritism  or  at  best  for  charges  of  favoritism. 
Our  suggestion  is  that  the  practice  should  he  to  take  hy  con- 
demnation the  right  of  entering  upon  the  street  location  at  a 
definite  future  time,  say  ten  years  or  twenty-five  years  in  ad- 
vance, leaving  in  the  hands  of  the  owner  a  perfectly  definite 
tenure  of  the  land,  the  capitalized  value  of  which  can  he  taken 
into  account  in  assessing  the  damages  of  the  taking.  If  it  should 
become  necessary  to  enter  upon  the  street  for  construction  hefore 
the  end  of  the  fixed  period  it  will  normally  be  because  the  owner 

22 


THE   FRKD'F.RICK  LAW"  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

is  anxious  to  liave  the  improvement  made  and  is  ready  to  waive 
his  right  to  the  continued  nse  of  the  land  for  other  purposes  in 
order  to  have  the  street  opened  promptly,  l)ut  if  he  is  not  willing 
so  to  waive  his  rights  they  can  he  extinguished  at  any  time  hy 
condemnation  upon  payment  of  the  fair  value  of  the  unexpired 
term. 

So   much  for   the  legal   and   administrative   aspect   of   street 

])lanning.     As  for  the  actual  laying  out  of  a  plan  we  can  do  no 

m(n'e  than  cite  a  few  instances  of  the 
SPECIFIC  SUGGESTIONS  ,,.,.,,  -,  n        -i 

AS  TO  STREET  IM-  ^OTX  ot   thing  that   needs  to    be   done 

PROVEMENTS  and   discuss  a  few  general  principles. 

To  do  more  on  the  basis  of  our  brief  study  of  the  situation  would 

be  as  if  a  tailor  were  to  look  once  or  twice  at  a  man  passing  in 

the  street  and  then  go  home  and  cut  a  suit  of  clothes  to  fit  him. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  successive  narrowings  of  Broadway.  It 
is  plain  that  there  ought  to  be  an  ample  and  convenient  main 

thoroughfare  taking     up     with     the 
BROADWAY  100-foot    portion    of    Broadway    and 

extending  inckfinitely  into  the  territory  that  lies  between  the 
Colorado  Southern  Eailway  and  the  base  of  the  high  mesas,  prob- 
ably between  the  railway  and  the  corner  (^f  the  new  cemetery.  To 
get  a  good  line,  to  say  nothing  of  a  ])roper  width,  would  involve 
some  disturbance  of  the  streets  and  lots  of  the  subdivision  called 
"Tnterurban  Park"  and  the  sooner  a  decision  is  reached  the  better 
it  will  be  for  all  parties. 

It  will  become  highly  important  at  some  time  in  the  future, 
as  Boulder  attracts  people  who  are  able  and  willing  to  pay  for 

more  or  less  detached  residences  per- 
TO  THE  SOUTHWEST  manentlv  commanding  fine  views,  such 
as  are  to  be  found  by  the  thousand  in  first-class  sulnirbs  and 
summer  resorts  in  the  east,  to  develop  the  magnificent  possibili- 
ties of  the  great  mesas  to  the  south  of  Chautauqua  Park;  and  to 
this  end  a  first-class  thoroughfare  on  good  grades  ought  to  be 
planned  leading  up  and  into  that  section.  It  is  a  difficult  problem 
from  every  point  of  view  and  it  is  highl}^  important  that  it  should 

23 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

be  ^vorked  out  before  the  land  to  the  east  ,and  northeast  of 
Chautanqua  becomes  so  fully  occupied  as  to  leave  no  flexibility  in 
choosing  the  point  of  departure  and  improving  the  layout  and 
grades  of  the  approach.  If  the  best  line  of  approach  proves  to  be 
Twelfth  street,  as  seems  not  unlikel}^,  it  would  seem  important 
to  consider  whether  some  improvement  ought  not  to  be  made  in 
the  present  means  of  connection  between  the  comer  of  Broadway 
and  University  Avenue  and  the  beheaded  southern  portion  of 
Twelfth  Street. 

Some  more  direct  and  better  graded  line  of  approach  should 

certainly  be  provided  to  connect  the  central,  the  western  and  the 

FLAGSTAFF  MOUNTAIN        "orthem  parts  of  the  city    with     the 

ROAD  Flagstaff     Mountain     road     where     it 

crosses  Gregory  Canon  Creek. 

Lines  of  travel  along  Boulder  Creek  will  be  discussed  in  con- 
nection with  storm  water  channels  and  park  opportunities  below; 

as    will    also    the    problem    of    hand- 
SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  5,,^^   ^|,^.    ^.,,„„^    ^^.^^^,,^    ^^    Sunshine 

Canon  and  securing  a  proper  connection  for  a  thoroughfare  in  that 
canon  with  the  center  of  the  city.  A  perplexing  problem  involving 
an  opportunity  for  securing  excellent  results  and  a  more  than 
equal  chance  of  making  an  extravagant  and  wasteful  botch  is  to 
-be  found  in  the  development  of  the  lower  end  of  Sunshine  Canon 
and  the  slopes  below  Bed  Eock.  The  best  results  for  all  parties 
can  only  be  secured  here  by  a  frank,  intelligent,  and  far-sighted 
co-operation  of  the  city  in  the  layout  of  streets  and  parks  with 
the  land-owners  in  the  layout  of  building  lots. 

Perhaps  a  thoroughfare  having  somewhat  the  character  of  a 
parkway  or  pleasure  drive,  but  serving  also  to  give  access  to  scat- 
tered house  sites  of  great  picturesque 
TO  THE  NORTHWEST  ^^j^^^  ^^^^^  relatively  high  cost  of  de- 
velopment, Avill  be  justified  after  the  lapse  of  some  years,  branch- 
ing ofi^  from  the  Sunshine  Canon  Eoad  and  Mapleton  Avenue 
at  a  point  west  of  the  Sanitarium,  rising  through  the  valley  west 
of  the  Hogback  and  passing  out  on  to  the  east  face  of  the  Hog- 

24 


THE  FRI'DERICK  T.AW  OE^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

back  a  little  above  the  level  of  the  Silver  Lake  Ditcli,  at  a  point 
a  few  hundred  feet  north  of  the  place  where  the  ditcli  crosses  on 
to  the  east  face.  Thence  it  would  work  northward  on  a  nearly  level 
line  commanding  wonderful  views  to  the  eastward.  The  ])ark 
aspect  of  this  possible  thoroughfare  will  be  discussed  more  fully 
below. 

A  good  main  north  and  south  thoroughfare  wide  enough  for 
car  tracks  is  needed  about  where  Fourth  Street  or  Fifth  Street  is 

FOURTH  OR  FIFTH  ^^^^'^      "*^^'^^^      "^'       ^^^^-^^^'^^^       ^^^'^"^''^^- 

STREET  Fifth    Street    would    give    consider- 

ably better  grades  than  Fourth  Street  and  is  probably  preferable, 
but  whichever  street  is  adopted  the  city  ought  to  insist  upon  its 
being  widened  and  graded  to  a  much  improved  profile  as  a  pre- 
liminary to  its  adoption  as  a  main  thoroughfare  and  the  laying 
of  tracks  in  it.  Both  Fourth  Street  and  Fifth  Street  "break 
joints"  to  some  extent  in  passing  from  the  "Mountain  Heights" 
subdivision  to  the  "IsTeAvland  Addition"  and  there  should  be  a  suf- 
ficient enlargement  or  square  at  the  junction  to  overcome  its 
awkwardness  unless  the  general  widening  of  the  street  can  be 
made  to  accomplish  the  same  purpose.  In  the  !N"ewland  Addition 
any  widening  of  a  north  and  south  street  would  curtail  the  depth 
of  lots,  but  the  widening  should  be  done  Avithout  cost  to  the  city 
at  large  because  100-foot  lots  on  a  wide  street  with  car  tracks  are 
worth  more  than  deeper  lots  on  a  narrow  street  without  car 
tracks.  And  the  city  will  be  entirely  within  its  rights  and  entirely 
POLICY  AS  TO  STREET  j^istificd  in  taking  the  position  that  it 
RAILWAY  LOCATIONS  Avill  never  authorize  the  location  of  car 
tracks  except  in  wide  thoroughfares  properly  adapted  for  such 
use.  To  widen  Fourth  Street  or  Fifth  Street  through  "Maxwell's" 
and  "Mountain  Heights"  subdivision  will  involve  wiping  out  a 
certain  number  of  lots,  but  again  the  cost  of  doing  so  will  be  fully 
justified  and  may  reasonably  be  assessed  in  whole  or  in  part  upon 
the  adjacent  property  benefited  by  the  widening  and  by  the  car 
line  contingent  thereon. 

Twelfth  Street  beyond  the  angle  near  Portland  Place  ought 

25 


BOULDER  CITY   IMPROVKMEXT  ASSOCIATION 

to  1)0  laid  out  wide  enough  to  serve  in  the  future  all  the  i)urposes 

of   a    great   main     thoroughfare      for 
TWELFTH  STREET  traffic  and  car  lines  Avith  ample  side- 

walks, shade  trees,  etc.,  for  an  indefinite  distance  to  the  north. 

East  of  Twelfth  Street  for  a  distance  of  a  mile  a  high  steep- 
sided  ridge,  called  Lovers'  Hill,  blocks  all  north  and  south  travel 

except  at  a  single  pass  opposite  Twen- 
TWENTIETH  STREET  ^j^^i^  Street,  and  the  only  important 
future  thoroughfares  in  this  section  are  therefore  the  two  country 
roads  which  extend  north  through  this  gap  and  past  the  east  end 
of  the  ridge.  These  should  hoth  he  laid  out  of  ample  width.  In 
this  connection  it  is  to  he  noted  that  T\ventieth  Street,  which  will 
he  of  considerable  importance  through  its  connection  to  the  north, 
now  comes  to  a  dead  end  at  Walnut  Street  and  it  is  seriously  to 
be  considered  whether  it  ought  not  to  be  extended  south  to  Goss 
Street  between  which  street  and  Arapahoe  Avenue  it  has  already 
been  o]icned,  although  at  a  reduced  width.  Also,  as  T)efore  men- 
TWENTY  FOURTH  tioned,  Twenty-fourtli  Street,     which 

STREET  has  a   fairly  important   connection   to 

the  south  and  which  is  on  the  same  line  asi  the  road  which  leads 
to  the  north  past  the  east  end  of  Lovers'  Hill,  is  at  present  laid 
out  as  a  narrow  street  and  comes  to  a  dead  end  at  Pearl  Street.  It 
certainly  ought  to  be  extended  north  to  complete  the  connection 
at  a  respectable  width.  Its  extension  would  include  about  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  of  the  Beasley  Canal  and  could  he  made  to  have  a 
rather  striking  and  valuable  character  as  a  parkwav  or  boulevard 
in  a  manner  discussed  below  under  the  proper  head. 

From  this  proposed  widening  and     extension     of     Twenty- 
fourth  Street  at  its  intersection  with  Hill   Street  a  wide,  main 

thoroughfare  ought  to  be  laid  out  on 
TO  THE  NORTHEAST  .^  ^.^^;^^^  ^-^^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^.^^^  ^^^^^  p^^f_ 

erably  following  the  line  of  the  Beasley  Canal  in  Avhole  or  in  part 
for  a  considerable  distance. 

Either  Pine  Street  or  Spruce  Street  ought  to  be  extended 

26 


TIIF.   KRl':n'FRICK  LAW  OLMSTRD  JR.  REPORT 

as  a  wide,  main  thoroughfaro  ])arall('l  to  the  D.  &  B.  V.  \l.  Ii.,  and 

a  new  east     and     west     tliorouglil'are 
TO  THE  EAST  tappini-'  the  iraftK-  of  hotli  Tearl  and 

AValnut  Streets  sh(ndd  lie  laid  out  to  the  eastward  of  "^^th  Street 
on  a  line  not  immediately  next  the  railroad.  This  proposed  new 
thoroughfare  wtnild  ])rol)al)ly  fork  ahout  half  a  mile  east  of  •24th 
Street,  one  hraneh  entering  the  distriet  l)etween  the  T).  S:  "B.  V. 
E.  E.  and  the  arm  of  the  (*.  lV'  S.  Eailway  wliile  the  other  hraneh 
would  keep  entirely  to  the  south  of  the  latter. 

Twenty-eig'hth  Street  is  a  eross-town  thoronghfare  of  some 
future  importance  and  should  prohaldy  he  widened  and  extended, 

TWENTY-EIGHTH  '^^^'^   certainly   an      ample     cross-town 

STREET  line  shonld  he  laid  oat  just  w^est  of  the 

"Wye.  which  offers  a  permanent  ol)stacle  to  street  travel  of  con- 
siderahle  extent. 

South  of  Bonlder  Creek  again  and  hetween  it  and  the  ^Nfar- 
shall  Branch  of  the  C.  &  S.  some  improved  lines  of  commnnica- 
FROM  SEVENTEENTH         cation  will  he  much  needed.  From  the 
^'^^Ioutheast'^^^  Seventeenth  Street  hridge  in  addition 

to  a  connection  nnder  the  railroad  to  University  Avennc  and 
throngh  the  University  gronnds  to  the  sonth.  a  road  onght  to  he 
laid  ont  on  a  good  grade  rising  up  the  face  of  the  hluff  north  of 
the  Hospital  (in  place  of  the  present  precipitous  road  that  runs 
hetween  the  Hos])ital  and  the  Eailroad).  The  proposed  road  would 
rise  gradually  to  the  edge  of  the  level  ground  south  of  the  Hos- 
pital and  extend  along  near  the  edge  of  the  declivity  so  as  to  tap 
the  various  roads  leading  southward  while  commanding  a  fine 
view  of  the  city  with  Boulder  Creek  in  the  foreground.  The  park 
value  of  such  a  road  would  he  very  large  and  it  will  be  discussed 
in  more  detail  under  that  head,  hut  it  is  certainly  desirahle  as  a 
mere  means  of  communication.  T^ltimately,  descending  again  to 
the  low^er  level  at  or  near  Twenty-eighth  Street,  it  would  presum- 
ably extend  off  to  the  southeast  through  Section  32. 

It  is  not  to  he  supposed  either  that  the  above  is  an  exhaus- 

27 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

tive  statement  of  the  thoroughfares  that  it  would  he  wel]  to  pro- 

FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE     ^i^'^'  i'"^'  «^  ^liat  all  of  the  lines  men- 
IN  CITY  STREET  PLANNING:    tioncd  are  equally  important  to  lay 

MA^'thorcSghfZrTs'and  <-^   -  ^^•'^■^"^^■e  of  the  actual  o.,owth 
LOCAL  STREETS.  of  the  city;  hut  it  may  serve  as  the 

hasis  for  a  programme  of  work  and  it  may  help  to  make 
clear  a  fundamental  principle  too  little  recognized  in  most  of  the 
city  planning  that  has  been  done  in  this  country.  That  principle 
is  to  make  sure  of  a  limited  number  of  main  thoroughfares,  first; 
to  get  these  laid  out  of  the  most  ample  width,  so  as  to  be  sure 
that  the  contingencies  of  the  future  Avill  not  overcrowd  them,  and 
on  reasonably  direct  and  continuous  lines  and  Avith  no  bad  gradi- 
ents; to  do  this  regardless  of  local  and  individual  objections  and 
opjiosition  and  even  -at  considerable  expense  in  order  that  the 
general  transportation  interests  of  all  other  localities  and  individ- 
uals may  bo  proi)orly  provided  for:  and  then  in  laying  out  the 
secondary  or  intermediate  streets  to  considt  local  wishes  and  in- 
dividual preferences  and  minor  economies  of  land  and  construc- 
tion to  a  marked  degree.  Systematic  adherence  to  this  principle 
not  only  results  in  a  street  system  that  serves  the  practical  re- 
quirements of  transportation  adequately,  but  it  is  as  a  whole,  more 
economical  of  land  and  construction  than  one  in  which  the  dis- 
tinction between  main  and  secondary  streets  is  not  so  clearly  made, 
and  finally  it  tends  to  make  a  far  more  interesting  and  agreeable 
city  than  one  in  which  all  the  streets  approximate  an  even  uni- 
formity of  width  and  character  regardless  of  the  purposes  for 
Avhich  they  are  used.  For  residential  purposes  there  is  a  coziness 
and  quiet  attractiveness  about  a  street  of  moderate  length  and 
moderate  width  through  which  no  heavy  traffic  has  inducement 
to  flow,  that  is  in  marked  and  pleasant  contrast  with  the  inter- 
minable vistas  of  streets  that  go  on  indefinitely  in  an  unbroken 
straight  line,  especially  if  their  grades  be  such  as  to  attract  con- 
siderable amount  of  general  teaming;  while  on  the  other  hand  for 
the  sort  of  occupation  that  naturally  seeks  the  main  lines  of 
travel,  such  as  stores,  etc.,  the  advantage  of  thus  concentrating 

28 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

the  through  travel  on  certain  streets  is  ver^y  considerable.  Wliat- 

EFFECT  OF  SUCH   PLAN-      ever  tends  to  staMlitv  in  the  distinct 
NING  ON  REAL  ESTATE         .^^.„„.,  +  -  ,•    T,r       "  ^       i  -f 

VALUES  se^-egation  ol  dilrerent  chisses  oi  oc- 

cnjDane}'  of  conilicting  or  incongruons  character  tends  to  stability 
of  real  estate  valnes  and  to  a  higher  average  range  of  valnes.  The 
more  certain  a  man  can  feel  that  the  character  of  a  given  street 
is  prett}^  well  fixed  the  more  he  is  willing  to  pay  for  the  privilege 
of  having  a  lot  on  the  kind  of  street  that  he  Avants.  The  sharp 
differentiation  in  width  and  character  of  treatment  between  the 
main  tlioronghfare  and  the  ordinary  streets  is  a  step  in  tliis  di- 
rection as  well  as  a  practical  economy  in  dealing  with  the  transpor- 
tation problem.  To  discnss  at  this  point  the  next  step,  which  con- 
cerns district  building  laws  and  other  localized  restrictions  in- 
tended to  safeguard  the  class  of  occupation  in  given  districts 
would  take  us  too  far  afield. 

The  detailed  improvement  of  existing  and  future  streets  in 
]ioint  of  practical  utility,  economy  of  maintenance  and  a}ipearauce 

DETAILED   IMPROVEMENT     ^''    ^^^^  .^^^^^  ^a*^^^'  *^  ^'^  considered; 
OF  STREETS  the  main     elements     being     roadway 

]iavement.  surface-water  drainage,  sidewalks,  street  trees,  street 
fixtures  and  incidental  features,  but  the  most  important  thing  of 
all  is  the  general  effect  of  all  these  features  considered  as  a  whole. 
It  is  jnst  as  well  to  point  out  at  the  beginning  that  there  is  no 
single  best  type  of  treatment  even  for  streets  of  a  given  width  and. 
of  the  same  general  character  of  occupancy.  Nothing  is  more  des- 
perately uninteresting  and  unattractive  than  the  monotonous 
repetition  of  the  same  type  of  street.  It  is  conceivable  that  a 
committee  of  ladies  might  come  to  a  concensus  of  opinion  as  to 
which  was  the  best  looking  dress  in  town  but  what  a  depressing 
thing  it  Avould  be  if  they  all  took  to  Avearing  it!  Yet  we  may  ven- 
ture some  general  recommendations  as  to  Boulder  streets  without 
much  risk  that  they  will  be  so  literally  folloM-ed  as  to  lend  to 
monotony  of  appearance. 

A  good  roadway  well  maintained  is  a  rather     costly     article 
and  the  Avidcr  the  roadwav  in  anv  street  the  longer  it  will  take 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 


to  bring  it  up  to  a  good  standard  and 
ROADWAY  WIDTH  ^j^^  hjirdcr  ]t  Will  be  to  keep  it  there. 

Moreover  every  nnnecessary  square  yard  of  roadway  is  an  un^ 
necessary  source  of  dnst  and  glare.  If  a  street  be  laid  out  wide 
enough  between  property  lines  to  provide  for  future  contingencies 
it  is  a  simple  matter  to  widen  its  roadway  Avhenever  it  proves 
desirable  to  do  so,  and  the  saving  in  cost  of  maintenance  and  in 
interest  charges  due  to  building  a  roadway  narrow  at  first  and 
widening  it  some  years  later  is  usually  more  than  enough  to  pay 
for  the  extra  cost  of  doing  the  work  in  two  or  more  operations. 
Except  on  the  streets  carrying  a  large  volume  of  traffic  we  be- 
lieve that  most  of  the  Boulder  streets  have  a  Avider  traveled  way 
than  is  economically  desirable  and  that  they  would  be  distinctly 
improved  in  appearance  if  the  traveled  way  were  narrowed.  Ex- 
cept on  main  thoroughfares  a  roadway  about  24  feet  wide  will 
serve  all  practical  purposes  and  generally  look  better  than  a 
greater  width.  This  is  sufficient  for  ordinary  vehicles  to  turn  in 
without  serious  inconvenience  and  permit  vehicles  to  come  to  a 
stop  on  both  sides  of  the  road  without  blocking  passage.  On  minor 
and  suburban  streets  a  width  as  narrow  as  16  feet  has  been 
recommended  hx  a  distinguished  authority  for  the  city  of  Chicago 
and  there  are  cases  in  Boulder  where  we  should  endorse  this 
recommendation,  but  in  such  cases  it  should  ordinarily  be  pos- 
sible for  vehicles  to  turn  off  over  the  edge  of  the  road  on  emer- 
gency; in  other  words  the  curb,  if  any  is  used,  should  be  set  back 
some  distance  from  the  edge  of  the  road,  the  intervening  space 
being  occupied  by  grass,  or  by  rmpaved  earth,  or  possibly  by  some 
inferior  form  of  pavement  of  low  annual  cost  when  subjected  only 
to  light  and  occasional  use.  A  central  pavement  about  16  feet 
Avide  of  first-class  smooth  pavement  flanked  by  borders  eight  feet 
wide  paved  with  cobblestones  and  graded  so  as  to  act  as  gutters, 
while  at  the  same  time  providing  standing  space  for  vehicles  at 
the  side  of  the  road  and  turning  space  Avhen  required,  makes  a 
form  of  street  pavement  relatively  inexpensive  to  construct  and 
maintain  and  having  some  distinct  advantages  where  grades  are 
steep  and  Avhere  a  macadam  pavement  is  subject  to  washing  and 
any  smooth  pavement  is  liable  to  be  slippery  on  occasion.  But 

30 


THE  FRKD'ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

ordinarily  a  good  smooth  pavement  al)Out  2-1  feet  wide  clear  of 
the  gutters  is  a  reasonable  design  for  ordinary  residential  streets. 
FORM  OF  GUTTERS:  >^^eept  ill  those  streets  where  an  irri- 

STORM  WATER  DRAINAGE  gating  channel  serves  at  the  same 
time  as  a  gutter  for  carrying  otf  the  surface  water,  the  gutters, 
as  a  matter  of  convenience  and  appearance,  ought  not  to  be  like 
ditches  sharply  separating  the  sidewalks  from  the  roadway.  But 
to  avoid  deep  big  ditches  requires  that  the  storm  water  should 
be  removed  from  the  gutters  at  frequent  intervals  into  a  system 
of  storm-water  sewers  connecting  ultimately  with  the  open  na- 
tural channels  of  storm-water  discharge.  In  the  long  run  this  is 
a  large  and  costly  undertaking  and  one  that  needs  to  be  planned 
in  a  comprehensive  and  systematic  way  if  a  good  deal  of  money 
is  not  to  be  wasted  on  it;  but  it  is  an  item  th:it  every  well-organiz- 
ed city  has  to  face  sooner  or  later. 

As  to  the  kind  of  pavement,  there  is  no  single  kind  of  pave- 
ment to  which  a  city  can  turn  as  the  best  solution  of  the  problem, 

neither  asphalt,  nor  brick,  nor  creo- 
KINDS  OF  PAVEMENT  ^^^^^^  ^^^^j^^^  ^^^^  bitulithic  nor  maca- 
dam nor  stone.  In  any  given  city  each  street,  or  each  class  of 
streets,  according  to  their  grades,  the  volume  and  character  of  the 
traffic,  and  the  character  of  the  abutting  property  presents  a 
separate  problem:  and  the  first  step  in  reaching  a  satisfactory  re- 
sult is  for  the  city  engineer  or  other  proper  administrative  de- 
]iartment  to  classify  the  streets  carefully  and  scientifically  accord- 
ing to  the  above  factors,  and  then  to  deal  with  each  class  by  it- 
self. 

Most  progressive  American  cities  have  dealt  with  the  street 

improvement  problem  much  after  the  fashion  in  which  a  well 

-TLJiT  o/^iM-r  ^c-  x/itrxA,  iM      regulated  household  of  moderate  but 

THE  POINT  OF  VIEW  IN  '^ 

CHOOSING  PAVEMENTS      increasing  resources  deals     with     the 

question  of  household  furniture.  An  intelligent  family  having  an 

equipment  with  which  it  can  get  along  after  a  fashion,  invests 

from  time  to  time  in  pieces  of  good,  durable,  beautiful  furniture 

of  immediate  use   and  permanent  value,  being  spurred  to   each 

purchase  by  growing  requirements  and  a  high  standard  of  living 

31 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

and  b}'  the  sense  of  financial  ability,  knowing  that  if  it  can  af- 
ford the  immediate  expense  the  gain  in  comfort  and  pleasure  will 
be  real  and  permanent  with  a  very  slight  added  burden  of  care. 
It  is  a  form  of  saving,  really,  almost  like  putting  money  in  the 
bank  if  the  purchases  are  intelligently  made,  for  really  first-class 
furniture  in  the  hands  of  a  good  housekeeper  does  not  seriously 
deteriorate.  And  cities,  looking  upon  good  pavement  as  a  kind  of 
municipal  furniture,  have  been  apt,  when  they  have  faced  the 
problem  at  all  seriously  and  progressively,  to  proceed  in  the  same 
way;  under  the  spur  of  expanding  needs  and  rising  standards, 
they  have  liought  for  one  street  after  another  a  first-class  pave- 
ment, asking  the  engineers  to  give  them  a  real  good  durable  ar- 
ticle. To  meet  the  demand  for  durability  the  engineers  worked 
out  the  granite  block  pavement  on  a  concrete  foundation.  This 
was  somewhat  as  if  the  furniture  men  offered  to  our  typical 
householder  clumsy  cast-iron  furniture :  the  first  cost  is  very  high 
and  comfort  and  appropriate  grace  of  appearance  are  sacrificed 
for  the  sake  of  durability. 

Many  other  types  of  pavement  have  been  experimented  with, 
less  durable  than  granite  blocks;  but  even  granite  block  pave- 
ment wears  out  faster  than  good  and  well-cared-for  tables  or 
chairs,  and  pavements  have  come  to  be  regarded  more  in  the  way 
carpets  are. — as  things  to  be  bought  of  as  good  quality  as  the 
purse  will  afford,  to  be  used  and  swept  and  cleaned  until  they 
are  worn  out,  and  finally  when  they  are  no  longer  usable  to  be 
completely  replaced.  That  is  the  common  idea.  But  it  would  be  a 
great  deal  fairer  to  compare  many  forms  of  street  paving  with  a 
wooden  house,  which  will  last  indefinitely  if  it  is  reshingled  and 
repainted  and  otherwise  repaired  at  sufficiently  frequent  intervals 
and  at  just  the  time  when  the  repair  begins  to  be  needed,  but 
Avhich  if  the  weather  is  permitted  to  make  inroads  upon  it  will 
rot  and  collapse  within  a  few  years  after  the  roof  ceases  to  keep 
out  the  rain  and  snow. 

The  undoubtedly  bad  and  extravagantly  costly  pavements  of 
the  average  American  city  are  due  to  the  prevailing  weakness  of 

32 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

the    ]K'i'iii;iiu'ii(    adininistrativc    staff 

EXTRAVAGANT  PAVEMENTS    and    lo    the    Inct     that    it    is    easier 
-THE  REAL  MEASURE  .     ,  .,      , 

OF  COST  ^^'     iiuluco     a     city    couiicu     to     ap- 

propriate a  hii;-  rouiid  sum  for  a 
comi^lete  new  improvement  than  to  A'ote  funds  for  the  unspec- 
tacular routine  Avork  of  keeping  the  improvements  alread}^  made 
from  going  to  pieces  h}-  neglect.  It  is  probably  necessary  to  reck- 
on with  this  common  attitude  of  mind  in  Boulder  as  elsewhere, 
but  surely  it  is  worth  the  effort  to  jiresent  constantly  and  forcibly 
in  connection  with  street  pavements  as  with  other  improvement 
problems,  the  question  of  ^ET  ANNUAL  COST  after  allowing 
for  depreciation  and  maintenance  and  interest  charges  AS  THE 
PEOPEE  MEASUEE  OF  THE  COST  OF  EVEEY  IMPEOVE- 
MEXT  Avhether  its  first  cost  be  high  or  low. 

Sheet  asphalt  is  the  standard  smooth,  clean,  first-class  pave- 
ment in  American  cities  and  there  is  often  a  tendency  to  adopt 

it  as  the  ideal  and  use  it  regardless 
of  circumstances.  It  is  as  a  matter  of 
fact  open  to  serious  objections  for  certain  classes  of  streets;  for 
example,  it  is  very  slippery  and  for  that  reason  unfitted  for  any 
streets  that  are  not  nearly  level;  its  volatile  components  are  sub- 
ject to  evaporation  and  under  light  travel  "it  rots"  out  long 
before  it  wears  out,  so  that  the  deterioration  rate  is  abnormally 
high  on  streets  of  light  traffic;  its  first  cost  is  high  and  the 
method  of  repairing  requires  special  apparatus  and  special  tech- 
nical experience,  making  its  use  relatively  more  costly  and  less 
satisfactory  for  small  cities  than  for  large  cities,  through  putting 
the  latter  more  at  the  mercy  of  the  asphalt  contractors. 

Creosoted  wood  block  pavement  on  a  concrete  foundation  is 
a  close  competitor  of  sheet  asphalt.  It  is  less  noisy,  rather  pleas- 

anter  to  drive  on,  more  slippery  nn- 
MODERN  WOOD  BLOCKS      ^j^^.  ^^^^^  conditions  and  a  trifle  less 

slippery  under  others,  almost  equally  cleanly,  much  more  easily 
and  simply  repaired,  probably  much  more  durable  under  light 
traffic,  and  rather  higher  in  first  cost. 

Another  competitor  now  pushing  asphalt  rather  hard  is  the 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

Itatculcd  uiatcrial  calUMl  '■Ijitulithif."     It  is  less  slipjiorv  tlian  as- 

])lialt.  ahont  cMjnally  cleanly,  is  claim- 
BITULITHIC  g^-i  ^^  ^^g  ^^^Q^.g  (;]^^j.^^i3ie,  though  it  has 

not  been  in  use  long  enough  to  demonstrate  this  positively^  and 
its  first  cost  is  not  far  different. 

Paving  hrick  makes  a  hard  smooth  surface,  about  as  slip- 
pery as  asphalt  under  some  circumstances  and  much  less  so  under 

others;  it  is  harder  and  more  noisy; 
^"^  it  is  not  quite  so  easily  cleaned,  es- 

pecially when  it  becomes  worn;  it  wears  out  faster  under  heavy 
traffic:  and  it  costs,  usually,  considerably  less. 

A^arious  special  types  of  composition  block  pavements  have 
been  tried  but  have  not  established  a  standard  position  for  them- 
selves. 

The  various  forms  of  stone  block  pavement  need  hardly  be  con- 
sidered, for  their  advantages  apply  mainly  to  streets  carrying  a 

traffic  heavier  than  anv  that  the  city 
BLOCK  PAVEMENTS  ^^  Boulder  has  to  deal  with  at  present 

or  seems  likely  to  have  in  the  immediate  future. 

There  remain  to  consider  gravel  and  crushed  stone  roads. 
ATith  the  former  Boulder  has  had  a  good  deal  of  experience:  they 

are   known  to  be   cheap  in  first   cost 
GRAVEL  ^^^^  ^|.  ^i-^gj^j,  ]3gg|-^  under  light     trav- 

el, to  be  very  agreeable.  They  wear  out  rapidly  and  are  apt  to  be 
dusty  and  muddy  and  otherwise  dirty.  It  is  probably  fair  to  say, 
however,  that  if  the  construction  of  gravel  roads  were  more  scien- 
tifically done  than  it  has  been  in  Boulder  in  the  past,  and  if  they 
were  more  systematically  repaired  and  maintained  it  would  be  pos- 
sible on  streets  of  light  travel  to  have  gravel  roads  that  Avould 
be  far  more  satisfactory  than  the  article  to  which  Boulder  citizens 
have  become  accustomed  and  at  an  additional  annual  cost  which 
would  be  trifling  compared  with  that  of  any  of  the  pavements 
discussed  above. 

As  to  crushed  stone  roads,  it  is  probable  that  most  of  the 
citizens  and  officials  of  Boulder  who  have  not  happened  to  travel 

34 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

much  in   Europe   or   in  t-erlaiii      very 
CRUSHED  STONE  limited   districts   iu   tliis   country,   are 

under  a  serious  misapprehension  on  this  suhjeet.  The  things  call- 
ed macadamized  roads  in  a  great  many  jiarts  of  this  country  are 
neither  built  in  accordance  with  the  principles  which  Macadam 
laid  down  nor  are  they  maintained  in  sucli  a  manner  as  to  get 
tolerably  good  results  out  of  the  construction,  such  as  it  is.  We 
believe  it  to  be  a  fact  that  imder  a  proper  system  of  systematic 
maintenance  and  repair  any  street  in  Boulder,  with  the  possible 
exception  of  a  few  main  thoroughfares,  could  be  paved  with  a 
first-class  crushed  stone  pavement  and  kept  permanently  smooth 
and  in  satisfactory  condition  for  a  small  part  of  the  annual  cost 
of  sheet  asphalt  or  other  high-priced  pavement,  and  that  the  sav- 
ing could  be  more  i^rofitably  expended  in  other  directions. 

The  chief  objections  to  a  macadam  pavement  for  most  of 
the  streets  of  Boulder  are  that  the  wear  is  more  rapid  than  when 

OBJECTIONS  TO  ^^"^  mineral  particles  are  tirmly  bond- 

MACADAM  ed  together  as  in  asphalt  or  bitulithic, 

that  more  dust  is  therefore  produced,  and  that  as  it  is  difficult  to 
clean  off  the  dust  and  mud  thoroughly  without  further  injury  to 
the  pavement  they  are  allowed  to  accimiulate.  The  objection  of 
the  comparatively  rapid  wearing  away  of  the  surface  and  conse- 
quent roughness  of  pavement  almost  disappears  under  proper 
care  and  simply  goes  into  the  cost  of  maintenance.  Proper  clean- 
ing and  watering  reduce  the  objection  on  the  score  of  dust  and 
mud  to  a  reasonable  minimum,  adding  still  further  to  the  main- 
tenance cost.  A  crushed  stone  pavement  merely  put  down  and 
then  almost  neglected  is  a  pretty  poor  investment,  more  so  than 
a  pavement  of  asphalt  or  brick,  but  one  well  laid  and  thoroughly 
well  kept  ^vill  give  results  on  most  of  your  streets  of  which  the 
city  can  be  proud  and  the  annual  cost  of  which,  maintenance  and 
all,  will  not  be  unreasonable. 

It  is  true  that  the  relatively  dry  climate  of  Colorado  is  less 
favorable  to  macadam  than  a  moister  one,  tending  to  more  dust 
and  more  rapid  wear  because  the  bond  of  the  surface  particles  is 
more  or  less  dependent  upon  moisture.   For  this  reason  it  will 

35 


BOUI.DER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

probaLl}'  be  advisable,  especially  on  steep  grades  where  the  tend- 

ciicv  to  "ravel"   duriny-  rainstorms  is 
BITUMINOUS  BINDERS         ^^^^  marked,  and  npon     any     streets 

^Yhere  automobiles  come  to  be  common  with  their  notable  disin- 
tegrating effect  upon  the  road  surface,  to  utilize  some  of  the 
special  binding  materials  introduced  of  late  years  for  dust  laying 
and  i)rotection  against  di>^ integrating  action,  such  as  asphaltic  oil 
and  the  special  coal  tar  preparations  like  "Tarvia,"  On  streets 
ol  light  traffic-  a  good  macadam,  treated  annually  Avith  a  surfacing 
of  Tarvia  and  stone-dust  offers  a  surface  having  many  of  the 
advantages  of  a  bitulithic  or  asphalt  pavement  at  a  very  much 
lower  cost.  In  our  opinion,  especially  under  the  dryer  climatic 
conditions  of  Colorado,  it  would  be  advisable  to  use  a  heavier  ap- 
plication of  Tarvia  at  the  time  of  first  construction  than  has  been 
customary.  The  first  cost  is  thereby  slightly  increased  but  the  re- 
sults should  he  enoiTgh  better  to  justify  the  difference.  This 
method  of  impregnating  the  road  for  a  depth  of  an  inch  or  more 
with  Tarvia  is  really  a  long  step  in  the  direction  of  a  bitulithic 
(or  asphalt)  pavement,  in  which  the  WHOLE  mass  of  broken 
stone  (or  of  sand)  is  impregnated  with  a  bituminous  binder  in- 
stead of  only  a  thin  top  layer. 

In  any  experiments  that  may  be  tried  in  the  iTse  of  Tarvia 
or  similar  coal  tar  preparations  or  asphalt  it  should  be  borne  in 

mind    that-    apparently    very    slight 

THE  CAUSE  OF  SUCCESS       differences    in    method    will    change 
AND    FAILURE    WITH     Bl-       ,,■,,,  ,  ,, 

TUMINOUS  BINDERS  ihe  resuslts  from    success    to    utter 

failure.  Success  depends.  first, 
upon  getting  the  bituminous  material  of  exactly  the  right 
composition,  for  which,  practically  speaking,  reliance  must  be 
placed  upon  the  knowledge  and  good  faith  of  some  concern  that 
has  had  an  extended  and  successful  experience  in  producing  ma- 
terial for  just  these  uses;  second,  upon  having  the  road  metal  in 
the  right  mechanical  condition  and  thoroughly  dry  and  sun- 
warmed,  conditions  easily  obtained  in  Colorado;  and  third,  upon 
heating  the  tar  or  asphalt  to  exactly  the  right  temperature  be- 
fore applying  it.  It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  secure  these  con- 
ditions by  the  exercise  of  some  intelligent  painstaking  care,  but 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

the  margin  between  success  and  complete  failure  will  be  quickly 
crossed  by  the  least  carelessness  or  neglect. 

The  asphaltic  oils,  from  Texas  or  California,  require  less  pre- 
cision in  nsc  to  get  good  results,  whether  applied  straight  or,  as 

we  believe  to  be  better,  in  the  form 

OIL  TREATMENT  ^^  ^^^  cmulsioii  with  water.  But  there 

is  no  question,  apart  from  practical  advantages  one  way  or  the 
other,  that  the  oil  is  in  all  respects  much  dirtier  and  less  agree- 
able in  its  results.  It  is  in  fact  quite  offensive  in  appearance  and 
often  so  in  smell,  and  the  particles  of  oily  dust  when  they  do  get 
on  to  clothing  or  vehicles  are  a  serious  nuisance. 

To  sum  up  as  to  improved  street  pavements,  we  are  inclined, 
for  ]nost  localities  in  Boulder,  to  advise  the  use     of     macadam 

SUMMARY  AS  TO  properly  built  and  properly  maintain- 

PAVEMENTS  ed,  with   systematic  cleaning  and  re- 

pairs and  either  systematic  watering  or  the  use  of  Tarvia  for 
bonding  the  surface.  "Where  Tarvia  is  not  used  the  watering 
should  always  be  done  by  the  City  and  not  left  to  the  discretion 
of  the  abutters,  for  it  must  be  regarded  not  primarily  as  a  method 
of  mitigating  the  dust  nuisance  but  as  a  means  of  preserving  the 
bond  of  the  road  surface  and  prolonging  the  life  of  the  road. 

In  the  matter  of  sidewalks  the  standard  generally  adopted  in 
Boulder  is  a  line  of  slabs  either  of  stone  or  cement,  from  four  to 
six  feet  wide,  laid  in  the  turf  between  the  property  line  and  the 
street  trees  which  follow  the  curb.  The  standard  is  a  good  one 
and  we  have  little  to  offer  by  way  of  suggestion.  There  appears 

at  present  to  be  a  prejudice  in  favor 
SIDEWALKS  ^_j?  ^i^g  cement  slabs  based  in  part  upon 

a  popular  misconception,  to  Avhich  it  may  be  well  to  call  atten- 
tion. The  preference  for  the  cement  is  based  upon  the  idea  that 
the  cement  walks  are  ipso  facto  smoother  and  less  liable  to  hold 
puddles  of  water  and  to  offer  irregular  joints  on  which  to  stumble. 
A  somewhat  careful  examination  of  the  Boulder  sidewalks  after 
a  rainstorm  confirmed  what  has  been  our  observation  elsewhere 
that  so  far  as  cement  walks  of  the  SAME  AGE  as  the  stone  walks 
do  possess  these  advantages  it  is  not  due  to  the  fact  that  they  are 

37 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVE^IENT  ASSOCIATION 

made  of  cement  but  to  the  fact  that  they  are  laid  on  proper 
foundation  of  well-drained  stone,  cinders,  sand  or  other  firm 
porous  material.  Most  of  the  Boulder  flagstones  are  sufficiently 
smooth,  individually,  not  to  hold  puddles  except  where  a  stone 
has  settled  below  its  neighbor  or  has  been  cracked  on  account  of 
the  settlement  of  the  foundation.  Poorly  laid  cement  walks  after 
a  few  years  develop  just  the  same  defects  and  are  somewhat  more 
liable  to  fracture  under  the  same  conditions.  We  regard  the  choice 
between  stone  and  cement  when  equally  well  laid  as  an  aesthetic 
rather  than  a  practical  one.  Personally  we  find  the  texture  of  the 
stone  the  more  agreeable,  but  it  is  a  matter  that  turns  on  local 
surroundings  more  than  upon  any  general  considerations. 

Another  detail  about  the  sidewalks  is  perhaps  worth  men- 
tioning. It  appears  to  be  a  common  though  not  universal  practice, 

in  order  to  prevent  the  flooding  of  the 

SIDEWALK  EDGES  sidewalks  and  the  stone  paths  leading 

up  to  the  doors  liy  the  Avater  used  to  irrigate  the  lawns,  to  dig 
little  ditches  about  four  inches  wide  and  two  or  three  inches  deep 
m  the  turf  along  each  side  of  the  flagging.  The  appearance  of 
these  little  gashes  is  certainly  far  from  agreeable;  it  is  indeed 
quite  painful  to  the  unaccustomed  stranger;  and  assuming  the 
practice  to  have  resulted  from  a  real  practical  need  we  have 
wondered  if  some  better  way  could  not  be  found  for  meeting  the 
difficulty.  In  the  case  of  cement  walks  it  would  be  a  simple  mat- 
ter at  the  time  of  construction  to  form  a  groove  or  narrow  gutter 
in  the  cement  close  to  its  edge,  like  a  border  line.  In  the  case  of 
the  flagstone  Avalks  a  narrow  piece  of  flagging  set  on  edge  like  a 
curb,  coming  to  the  same  level  as  the  walk  or  a  trifle  above  it  but 
removed  about  two  inches  from  its  edge  would  form  a  similar 
little  gutter.  It  would  be  neat  and  orderly  and  instead  of  being 
separated  from  the  grass  by  the  frequently  renewed  raw  and 
ragged  edge  of  the  little  dirt  ditch  the  stone  would  be  in  pretty 
contact  with  the  overhanging  blades  of  grass. 

Boulder  is  properly  proud  among  Colorado  towns  on  ac- 
count of  its  numerous  and  large  street   trees.  Thev  are  an   ex- 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

ample  of  the  iniiueuse  effect  upon   a 

STREET  TREES  town's   appearance    that    may    rapidly 

result  from  a  popular  custom  once  set  agoing.  The  result  is  surely 
pleasing,  yet  as  our  function  is  not  praise  l)ut  suggestion  we  must 
point  out  how  much  better  it  might  have  been  had  the  popular 
tree  planting  habit  been  better  guided,  and  how  much  it  can  still 
SILVER  MAPLES  AND  ^"'  "'^^^''^ved  for  the  future.  Everyone 

TREE  BUTCHERY  must  admit  that  the  planting  of  silver 

maples  and  cottonwoods  has  been  overdone.  The  reasons  why  it 
was  overdone  are  not  far  to  seek,  but  overdone  it  was.  The  silver 
maple  is  one  of  the  most  brittle  of  trees  and  short-lived  at  that. 
It  is  as  little  adapted  as  almost  any  tree  could  be  to  withstand 
the  pressure  of  late  and  early  snows  upon  its  brittle  branches,  and 
the  practice  of  tree-butchery  frequently  resorted  to  as  a  precau- 
tion against  snow-breakage  is  ugly  in  the  extreme. 

Systematic  annual  pruning  of  a  tree,  even  pruning  so  severe 
as  to  reduce  the  tree  to  a  formal  or  geometrical  outline,  may  be 

justifiable  and  proper  under  certain 
SYSTEMATIC  PRUNING  'onaitions.    and    it    will    result   in   a 

character  of  twig  and  branch  formation  which,  although  quite 
different  from  that  of  the  tree  under  favorable  natural  con- 
ditions, yet  has  a  certain  orderliness,  is  indeed  the  natural  re- 
sponse of  the  tree  to  a  new  force  systematically  applied  to  it,  just 
as  a  certain  other  twig  and  branch  formation  is  its  natural  and 
characteristic  response  to  the  conditions  of  a  constantly  windswept 
situation.  In  other  words  such  a  systematically  primed  tree  has  a 
distinct  and  self-consistent  character  Avith  a  certain  beauty  of  its 
own.  which,  we  may  or  may  not  think  appropriate  under  certain 
circumstances,  but  which  we  must  recognize  as  being  good  of  its 
kind.  But  a  tree  which  is  unsystenmtically  and  unsympathetically 
lopped  off  at  irregular  intervals  and  places  and  is  permitted  to 
grow  without  restraint  or  care  in  the  interval,  is  apt  to  look  like 
nothing  but  a  miserable  cripple.  It  would  be  a  great  deal  better 
either  to  let  the  silver  maple  alone  and  prune  the  broken  branches 
after  each  storm  or  else  to  lop  it  off  once  for  all  level  with  the 
ground  and  put  in  some  tougher  and  more  permanent  tree. 

Another  common  defect    of    management    in    the    Boulder 

39 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

street  trees  is  that  they  were  phinted  close  when  they  were  small 

trees  in  order  to  secure  a  good  im- 
CLOSE  PLANTING  mediate    effect,    and,   as    often   hap- 

pens where  this  is  done,  they  were  seldom  thinned  out  when 
they  began  to  crowd  each  other.  Consequently  in  most  of  the 
streets  the  continuous  foliage  canopy  has  about  twice  as  many 
trunks  holding  it  up  as  is  really  necessary  and  the  trees  are  less 
vigorous  and  healthy  than  they  should  be.  In  some  cases  it  is 
just  as  well  to  accept  the  condition  imtil  the  trees  begin  to  fail 
seriously  and  then  to  make  a  new  start  with  better  trees;  in 
others  it  Avould  pay  to  thin  out|  even  now.  It  is  a  matter  for 
close  personal  judgment  by  a  competent  man  going  over  all  the 
trees,  block  by  block. 

As  to  the  kinds  of  trees  suitable  for  street  planting  in 
Boulder  it  would  be  presumptuous  for  us  to  offer  any  positive 

advice  when  you  have  at  Boulder  a 
KINDS  OF  TREES  thoroughly    competent    arboricultur- 

ist who  has  studied  the  subject  for  years.  We  refer  to  Mr. 
D.  M.  Andrews.  AVe  insert  here  a  report  from  him  upon  the 
subject : 

Street  trees  in  general  should  be: 

1st.  Enduring;  that  is,  reaching  prime  of  life  at  a  great 
age,  of  strong  and  vigorous  but  not  necessarily  rapid  growth, 

2nd.     Of  pleasing  proportions. 

3rd.  Bequiring  a  minimum  amount  of  pruning  or  other 
attention. 

4th.     Free  from  insect  pests  or  disease. 

Street  trees  for  Boulder  in  addition  should  be: 

1st.  Capable  of  sustaining  or  of  shedding  from  the  branches 
without  injury  a  heavy  Aveight  of  snow. 

2nd.  Able  to  make  a  symmetrical  growth  Avithout  tend- 
ency to  lean  or  groAV  one-sided  Avhen  exposed  to  prevailing  Avest- 
ej'ly  Avinds. 

In  the  opinion  of    the    Avriter    the    folloAving    named    trees, 

40 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

approximately  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  named,  host  meet 
the  requirements  stated  above.  Several  other  oaks  may  be  sub- 
stituted, or  these  intei'chaiiged  to  meet  special  re([uir('ineiits  or 
personal  preference.  All  the  other  trees  named  are  selected  for 
individual  characters,  and  for  which  other  related  sorts  cannot 
be  well  substituted,  with  the  exception  of  the  Scotcli  elm,  instead 
of  which  certain  horticultural  forms  of  English  elm,  or  certain 
types  of  American  elm  might  be  used  if  obtainable. 

1.  Thorulcss  Honey  Locust,  Cleditsohia  triacanthes  inermis. 

2.  Red  Oak,  Quercus  rubra. 

3.  White  Oak,  Quercus  alba. 

4.  Horsechestnut,  Aesculus  Hippocastaneum. 

5.  Sugar  Maple,  Acer  saccharum. 

G.  Western   Catalpa,   Catalpa   speciosa   (must  be   true). 

7.  American  Ash,  Fraxinus  Americana. 

8.  European  Linden,  Tilia  Europaea. 

9.  Pin  Oak,   Quercus  palustris. 

10.  Scotch  Elm,  Ulmus  scabra. 

11.  Xorway  Maple,  Acer  platanoides. 

12.  Kentucky  Coffee  Tree,  Gymnocladus  canadensis. 

In   using  anv   of   the  trees  in   the   above  list   or   in   experi- 
menting with  others  or  guiding  the  development  of  any  of  the 
CONTROLLING  PURPOSE       ^'-^i^^^^S  street  trees,  the  controlling 
OF  TREE  PLANTING  fact  sho\dd  always  be  borne  in  mind 

that  the  street  does  not  exist  for  the  purpose  of  growing 
arboricultural  specimens  but  that  the  trees  are  grown  for  the 
purpose  of  contributing  to  the  excelleiice  of  the  street.  A  good 
general  effect  is  the  thing  to  aim  at — one  that  shall  be  appro- 
priate to  the  conditions  and  circumstances  of  a  given  street.  The 
suitable  general  effect  should  be  decided  on  first  and  then  the 
t]-ees  so  chosen,  so  planted,  and  so  managed,  Avhether  by  tliin- 
ning  or  leaving  thick,  whether  by  pruning  or  letting  alone,  as 
to   accomplish  that   result. 

The  kinds  of  effect  that  can  be  secured  are  infinitely   va- 

41 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVE^IENT  ASSOCIATION 


rifd.  lia])iii]v  einiTigh,  but  there  are  certain  distinct  types,  and 
TYPES  OF  TREE  ^""^"^    reference    to    tliem    will    make 

PLANTING  clearer  what  we  mean  when  we  sa}^ 

that  a  o-iven  effect  onght  to  be  chosen  and  then  kept  steadily 
in  view  in  making  every  subsequent  decision  of  detail,  as  to  kinds 
of  trees,  spacing  in  the  rows,  location  of  rows,,  method  and  ex- 
tent of  prunino-  up  the  lower  branches,  pruning  or  non-pruning 
of  sides  and  tops,  etc.,  etc. 

There  are  three  marked  types  of  tree-planting  in  use  on 
straight,  formal  avenues  and  streets.  The  first  is  the  over-arch- 
OVER-ARCHING  "^8'   ^JV^,   in   which   the   trees   grow 

AVENUES  to  such  size    and    form    that    their 

branches  meet  or  nearly  meet  across  the  street,  forming  an  um- 
brageous tunnel  or  vaulting,  which  may  be  lofty  and  pointed  in 
its  form,  as  often  with  elms  and  old  cottonwoods,  or  may  be  low 
and  flat,  as  often  with  maples.  In  this  type  of  avenue  the  com- 
monest defect,  especially  where  the  straight  vista  is  a  long  one. 
is  inadequate  height.  Practically  as  well  as  aesthetically  the 
systematic  ])runing  up  of  the  lower  branches,  not  all  at  once 
but  gradually,  as  the  tree  grows  taller,  is  very  important  in  order 
to  provide  free  circulation  of  air  and  to  make  it  possible  to 
illuminate  the  strtet  properly  at  night,  as  well  as  in  order  to 
give  height  reasonably  well  proportioned  to  the  length  of  the 
vista  and  to  give  an  impression  of  pleasant  spaciousness.  This 
type  is  and  must  remain  the  commonest  type  on  streets  of 
ordinary  width,  and  the  need  of  systematic  pruning  of  the 
growing  trees  in  order  to  develop  tall,  clean,  healthy  trunks  and 
high  crowns  is  one  of  the  strong  arguments  for  public  control 
of  the  street  trees.  A  few  low-branched,  crooked  trees  allowed 
to  grow  in  a  form  quite  different  from  the  general  run  of  trees 
on  a  street  will  interrupt  the  vista  and  spoil  the  general  effect 
no  matter  how  much  pains  may  be  taken  \nth  the  rest. 

The  second  type  is  the  avenue  which  is  open  to  tlie  sky 
above  but  runs  between  high   walls  of    foliage    on    either    side. 

This  is  adapted  onlv  to  avenues 
OPEN  AVENUE  ^^.^^^.^.^   .j^^   ^^^^^^^   between   the   rows 

of  trees  cun  be  consideral.il c.     ]\Iost  of  our  large-growing  trees 

42 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

will  spread  in  time  twenty-l'ivc  to  forty  feet  or  so  on  each 
side  of  the  tfiiiik  ii'  tliey  have  spaee  for  full  development,  and 
elms  -will  spread  even  further,  so  that  in  oi'der  to  leave  a  clear 
space  of  respectable  Avidth  between  flanking  masses  of  t;ill.  free- 
growing  foliage  the  trees  must  ordinarily  be  planted  a  hundred 
feet  apart  or  thereabouts.  But  by  choosing  trees  of  tall  and 
narrow  form,  as  in  the  extreme  case  of  the  Lombardy  Poplar, 
or  by  annual  trimming  of  the  side  branches  in  the  same  way 
that  a  hedge  is  trimmed  it  is  often  possible  to  secure  this  type 
of  avenue  in  a  much  more  limited  space;  and  of  course  in  its 
3'oungcr  stages  an  avenue  of  the  over-arching  type  generally 
takes  on  for  a  few  years  this  second  form.  For  an  avenue  of 
impressive  length,  especially  for  one  that  has  any  splendid  ob- 
ject at  the  end  of  the  vista,  this  second  type  is  often  preferable 
to  the  first,  There  are  many  streets  in  Boulder  that  lead  toward 
wonderful  views  of  the  monntains,  but  which  are  so  completel)' 
over-arched  by  trees  that  they  might  just  as  well  be  in  a  suburb 
of  Chicago  for  all  that  anyone  can  see  when  he  travels  on  them. 
This  second  type  of  avenue  cannot  be  classed  as  superior  to  the 
first,  or  as  inferior;  it  is  merely  different,  and  therefore  pref- 
erable under  certain  conditions.  Often  it  would  be  a  toss-up 
which  to  choose,  but  choice  must  be  exercised  and  when  the 
choice  is  made  the  necessary  steps  must  be  taken  to  make  it 
effective  by  selecting  the  species  of  tree  with  discretion,  and  by 
discretion  in  placing  the  rows,  spacing  the  trees  in  the  rows,  an-l 
guiding  the  growth  of  the  trees  thereafter. 

A  third  type  of  avenue  is  one  in  which   the  trees  instead 
of   o\er-arching   or    enwalling   the    vista     are     mere     decorative 
AVENUES  DECORATED  BY     ^cln^^t'ts,    the    sides    of    the    avenue 
SMALL  TREES  being  really  formed  by  the  buildings. 

This  means  comparatively  small  trees,  and  is  a  type  most  appro- 
priate in  busy  city  boulevards  wdiere  stores  and  tall  buildings 
closely  line  the  avenue,  where  large  trees  would  l)e  rather  in 
the  way  and  would  cut  off  too  nnich  light  from  the  windows. 
The  type  is  common  in  French  cities  and  would  be  here  if  our 
cities  took  more  heed  of  the  appearance  of  their  streets.  What 
we  generally  do  in  this  country  ^\•hen  a  street  becomes  so  thoi-- 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 


oiiglilv  urban  that  the  big  trees  arc  out  of  ph^ce  and  in  the  way 
is  to  kill  them  ofE  one  by  one  and  put  nothing  in  their  place. 
The  French  set  out  small  trees  that  ornament  and  shade  the 
sidewalks  without  bothering  anybod3^  In  part  they  use  trees 
of  species  that  by  nature  remain  small  and  in  part  they  accom- 
]ilish  the  result  by  persistent  trimming  of  top  and  side  branches 
so  as  to  make  a  series  of  semi-formal  leafy  umbrellas.  This  type 
is  Avell  adapted  to  certain  situations  in  Boulder  where  any  higli 
trecs  along  the  sides  of  the  street  would  cut  off  fine  views  of 
the  foothills  that  are  well  worth  keeping  open.  Looking  west- 
ward on  Pearl  Street  from  Twelfth,  although  the  buildings 
along  the  sides  of  the  street  are  far  from  lovely  and  although 
the  Avhole  foreground  has  a  rather  shabby,  dusty,  untidy  appear- 
ance which  the  presence  of  trees  would  do  much  to  obscure  and 
palliate,  yet  a  traveler  in  search  of  the  beautiful  is  really  grate- 
ful that  the  trees  are  out  of  the  way  as  his  eye  sweeps  up  to 
the  broad  sunset  sky  above  the  serried  foothills  and  the  notch  of 
Boulder  Canon.  It  would  be  a  pity  to  have  this  scene  obscured 
by  over-arching  elms  or  cottonwoods,  to  say  nothing  of  their  pos- 
sible interference  with  the  shopping  trade;  but  imagine  the  effect 
of  lining  each  sidewalk  with  a  row  of  handsome  little  trees  grow- 
ing no  more  than  about  twenty  feet  in  height,  masking  the  crude 
appearance  of  the  buildings,  giving  shade  to  pedestrians,  and 
forming  a  verdant,  flanking  foreground  for  the  distant  view 
without   encroaching  on  it. 

It  is  needless  to  go  on  to  a  discussion  of  variants  of  these 
types,  because  these  Avill  serve  to  make  clear  the  principle  that 
i]i  street  tree  planting  and  in  street  tree  maintenance,  if  you 
want  to  get  good  results  you  have  got  to  make  up  your  mind 
exactly  what  you  want  and  then  see  that  all  the  necessary  steps 
are  taken  to  produce  just  that  particular  thing — and  not  just 
'•'any  old  thing." 

It  may  be  well,  however,  to  point  out  that  all  of  the  above 
types  refer  to  straight  streets,  of  which  the  most  striking  feature 

UNIFORM  TREES  IN  ^^  ^^^^  '^'^'^  ^^'^^^^^^  ^'^^^^  presents;  and 

STRAIGHT  STREETS  that  in  all  of  those  types  a  certain 

uniformity  of  treatment  is  essential  from  end  to  end  of  every 


44 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

vista.  Speeii'ieally,  one  kind  of  tree  and  one  nietliod  of  treat- 
ment only  should  be  adopted  for  each  vista  thus  to  be  seen  as 
a  unit.  When  wc  come  to  crooked  or  curving  streets,  of  which 
Boulder  is  bound  to  see  more  as  houses  push  on  to  crookeder 
ground,  the  case  is  radically  altered.     On  a  street  that  follows 

a  gentle,   sweeping  curve,   especially 

VARIED  TREES  ON  u'  the  street  be  broad  and  dignified. 

PICTURESQUE  STREETS  ^.,.  ,       -,     ■     ^ -,     ^  x   • 

It  still  may  be  desirable  to  maintain 

a  dignified  uniformity  of  trees,  at  least  for  considerable  distances; 
but  on  streets  and  roads  that  are  distinctly  picturesque  in  type, 
v/h ether  built  on  a  series  of  angles  or  on  a  series  of  curves,  espe- 
cially if  they  be  comparatively  narrow,  as  with  mountain  roads 
or  private  drivcAvays,  or  mau}^  park  drives,  then  uniformity  of 
kind  and  size  and  shape  and  spacing  in  the  trees  that  shade  them 
ceases  to  be  a  \irtue  and  becomes  a  discordant  note,  totally  out 
of  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  way  itself.  Here,  as  always 
in  matters  of  art,  it  is  not  what  you  do,  but  how  and  where 
you  do  it  that  counts. 

In  most  of  the  Boulder  streets  the  straight  alignment  and 
limited  width    point    definitely    toward    the    use    of    a    single 

kind  of  tree  for  each,  so  planted  as 
LOCATION  OF  TREES  ^^  over-arch  the  street.  Ordinarily 
the  best  location  is  the  usual  one,  between  the  curb  and  the 
sidewalk;  but  sometimes  it  would  be  better  to  plant  the  trees 
between  the  sidewalk  and  the  property  line.  This  gives  a  greater 
distance  between  the  two  opposite  rows  of  trees,  which  is  some- 
times desirable,  even  when  an  ultimate  over-arching  effect  is 
aimed  at.  and  is  generally  desirable  "when  a  vista  permanently 
open  to  the  sky  is  wanted.  But  it  has  also  two  practical  advan- 
tages to  commend  it  in  all  residential  sections,  where  the  build- 
ings are  set  back  from  the  street  line.  These  advantages  are, 
first,  that  the  trees  are  much  safer  from  injury  by  horses  (a 
jn-olific  cause  of  disease,  decay  and  decrepitude  in  street  trees); 
and  second,  that  the  tree  roots  are  enabled  to  spread  under  the 
adjacent  lawn  and  get  much  more  moisture  and  nourishment  than 
they  are  apt  to  get  in  the  narrow  strip  between  the  paved  road- 
way and  the  paved  sidewalk. 

45 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

This  brings   up   the   question   of  irrigation   of   street  trees. 
Even  in  regions  of  much  larger  rainfall  than  Colorado  it  often 
IRRIGATION  'OF  STREET       I'tH-onics  neoessarv  to  provide  artifi- 
TREES  cial    irrigation    for    street    trees    if 

they  arc  to  flourish  successfully  under  the  very  unnatural  con- 
ditions of  city  highways.  Two  principal  methods  are  employed, 
sejDarately  or  in  combination.  One  is  to  provide  some  system 
of  sub-surface  irrigation  by  laying  tiles  or  blind  drains  in  the 
soil  at  the  time  the  tree  is  planted^  connecting  witli  one  or  more 
small  boxes  6v  drain  pipes  rising  to  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
through  which  in  the  dry  season  a  large  dose  of  water  can  be 
quickly  run  into  the  ground  around  the  roots  of  the  tree  either 
by  the  use  of  a  large  hose  connected  with  the  regular  street 
hydrants  and  moved  quickly  along  from  tree  to  tree,  or  by  turn- 
ing in  a  surface  stream  from  an  irrigating  ditch  in  the  usual 
manner.  In  Berlin  and  many  German  cities  such  sub-surface  irri- 
gation is  customary,  the  Avatering  hole  of  each  tree  being  covered 
in  some  cases  by  a  loose  brick  in  the  pavement  of  the  sidewalk. 

The  alternative  method  is  much  simpler  and  cheaper  to 
install  but  is  troublesome  and  laborious  in  operation  and  pre- 
cludes the  maintenance  of  turf  under  the  trees.  It  is  to  send 
a  gang  of  men  around  once  a  month  or  so  during  the  dry  season 
to  spade  up  and  cultivate  a  patch  of  ground  a  few  square  yards 
in  extent  over  the  roots  of  each  tree.  When  the  soil  is  thus 
loosened  a  little  dike  is  formed  around  the  cultivated  space  and 
the  area  is  flooded  with  water.  The  flooding  is  repeated  once 
or  twice  if  necessary  and  the  ground  is  then  smoothed  over. 
This  method  is  practically  the  same  as  that  employed  in  orange 
groves  and  for  other  fruit  trees  in  irrigation  districts.  l)ut  wo 
have  seen  it  employed  on  one  of  the  fashionable  avenues  in  the 
City  of  Berlin,  and  in  most  soils  it  is  probably  the  more  effica- 
cious method  because  the  loosening  and  cultivation  of  the  surface 
soil  is  as  valual)le  for  a  street  tree  as  for  a  farm  crop. 

With  a  moderately  clean  soil  which  does  not  get  too  muddy 
^\•hen  it  is  wet  or  form  impalpable  dust  when  dry,  there  is  much 


THE  FRED*ER1CK  LAW  OL^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

less    (ihjcct ion    to    cK'nii,    tidv,    well- 
BARE   EARTH  SURFACES        ,^^,p.     ,;,j.^.  ,^.^,^     ,,^.     ,^^,^.^^     ^^^^^^     ^1,,,, 

popular  prejudice  in  America  is  apt  to  suppose,  especially  where 
such  surfaces  are  well  shaded  by  trees.  Colorado  has  ])een  settled 
mainly  by  people  from  the  eastern  states,  which  in  turn  received 
their  traditions  from  England  where,  even  more  than  in  the 
eastern  states,  grass  flourishes  naturally  and  covers  almost  all 
nnpaved  surfaces  that  are  not  kept  tinder  cultivation  or  subjected 
to  the  severest  wear  and  tear  or  darkened  by  the  densest  shade; 
so  that  most  people  in  Colorado  as  a  matter  of  habit  or  tradition 
tend  to  think  of  grass  as  the  only  proper  and  pleasing  treatment 
for  the  surface  of  nnpaved  ground.  AVe  are  not  here  arguing 
for  the  general  substitution  of  bare  earth  for  grass  under  the 
street  trees:  but  we  do  mean  to  urge  that  there  may  be  many 
places,  especially  in  the  leveler  central  and  eastern  parts  of  the 
city,  where  the  soil  is  gravelly  or  sandy,  and  especially  in  places 
where  the  shade  is  dense  or  the  wear  and  tear  is  heavy,  in  which 
it  would  bo  possible  by  proper  attention  to  keep  a  surface  of  bare 
earth  looking  a  great  deal  neater  and  better  than  an  attempt  at 
grass  could  be  kept  and  at  a  small  fraction  of  the  cost,  while 
incidentally  it  would  simplify  the  problem  of  properly  irrigating 
the  trees.  Only  it  must  first  be  got  into  the  heads  of  people 
that  the  presence  of  bare  earth  does  not  justify  neglect  and 
that  such  a  surface  needs  to  be  raked  and  swept  and  kept  in 
order  lil:e  the  floor  of  a  house.  But  it  takes  less  work  to 
keep  it   in  neat   order  than   turf  does   in   the   Boulder   climate. 

In  localities  where  there  is  a  great  deal  of  wear  and  tear  on 
the  surface,  as  in  busy  shopping  districts,  it  becomes  practically 
PAVED  SIDEWALKS  OVER       "ecessary  to  put    down    some    hard 
TREE  ROOTS  pavement  o\er  practically  the  whole 

surface  from  curb  to  property  line.  Where  this  is  done  over 
the  roots  of  established  trees  they  may  last  a  long  time  after 
the  paving,  but  it  is  hard  upon  them  and  it  makes  the  growth 
of  young  trees  very  slow  and  difficult.  Unless  some  special 
precautions  are  taken  in  such  cases  for  the  permanent  main- 
tenance of  the  trees  they  are  very  apt  to  go.  The  best  method, 
judging   from   the    experiments    of   European    cities    where    the 

47 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

most  attention  lias  been  given  to  these  matters,  is  to  loAver  the 
surface  of  the  soil  in  which  the  tree  is  planted  a  few  inches 
below  the  finished  grade  of  the  sidewalk,  say  about  the  level 
of  the  street  gutter,  and  to  lay  that  part  of  the  sidewalk  which 
comes  over  this  soil  area  in  the  form  of  slabs,  either  of  cast 
iron  or  of  stone  or  reinforced  concrete,  supported  at  their  edges 
only,  with  an  air  space  between  them  and  the  surface  of  the 
soil.  The  sidewalk  slabs  can  be  lifted  once  a  year  or  so  and 
the  soil  cultivated  and  manured,  while  irrigating  can  easily  be 
done  at  any  time  without  disturbing  the  sidewalk  at  all.  If  the 
soil  under  the  slabs  is  at  or  slightly  below  the  level  of  the 
gutter  and  the  curb  has  occasional  openings  in  it  tlie  soil 
receives  natural  irrigation  at  every  rainstorm  and  artificial  irri- 
gation is  accomplished  merely  by  turning  a  stream  into  the 
gutter  when  watering  is  required.  A  modification  of  the  usual 
sub-surface  irrigation  system  is  one  in  Avhich  the  holes  whicH 
lead  into  the  irrigation  pipes  or  blind  wells  of  the  tree  pits  open 
out  of  tlie  gutter  in  the  same  way  as  the  above.  But  there 
is  danger  of  over-watering  by  either  of  these  methods  except 
where  the  soil  is  verv  porous  and  Avell-drained. 

To  sum  up  in  regard  to  street  trees:     The  planting  of  trees 
in  the  streets  and  their  maintenance  or  neglect  may  be  left,  and 

SUMMARY  AS  TO  SHADE       "^   "^^^^'T   eommunities   are    left,    to 
TREES  clianee    and    private    initiative.      If 

this  policy  is  pursued  the  inevitable  result,  with  the  growth  of 
a  city,  is  the  gradual  disappearance  of  street  trees  following  a 
long  period  of  raggedness  and  shabby  decline.  Half-hearted  and 
unsystematic  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  municipality  may  pro- 
long the  period  of  decline,  arrest  it  sporadically,  or  sporadically 
establish  new  rows  of  shade  trees;  but  if  satisfactory  results  are 
to  be  secured  the  matter  has  to  be  taken  up  seriously  and  sys- 
tematically, with  a  fair  counting  of  the  cost,  because  here  as 
elsewhere  it  is  impossible  to  get  something  for  nothing  and 
under  the  arduous  conditions  to  be  found  in  city  streets  any 
trees  worth  the  having  can  be  permanently  maintained  only  by 
systematic  and  somewhat  costly  care — and  that  care  must  be 
directed  not  so  much  to  immediate  conditions  and  result  as  to 

48 


THE  F'REDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

couditions  and  results  years  in  tlie  future,  because  the  princi- 
pal returns  from  any  expenditures  on  street  trees  can  be  obtained 
only  after  a  long  period.  It  takes  about  twenty  years  before 
most  planted  trees  begin  to  be  really  fine,  and  their  lifetime 
thereafter,  if  wise  precautions  have  been  taken  in  planting  and 
caring  for  them,  is  apt  to  be  anywhere  from  twenty-five  to  a 
hundred  years  or  more.  The  return  is  an  annual  one,  and  it 
is  obvious  that  the  biggest  returns  on  any  investment  in  the 
planting  and  maintenance  of  street  trees  are  to  be  secured  only 
when  steps  are  taken  to  secure  those  returns  during  a  long 
period  of  years  after  the  time  the  trees  have  reached  a  respect- 
able size. 

The  usual  methods  are  such  that  city  street  trees  begin  to 
go  to  the  bad  long  before  they  reach  the  period  of  their  full 
value,  and  by  far  the  major  part  of  the  expected  return  upon 
the  investment  is  entirely  lost. 

In  every  cii,y  there  are  many  streets  where  it  would  cost 
more  to  establish  and  maintain  good  and  long-lived  trees  than 
they  Avould  be  worth.  In  some  streets  it  pays  best  to  main- 
tain cheap,  quick-growing  trees  for  a  few  jeavs  at  a  time,  in 
some  streets  no  trees  at  all,  in  some  streets  trees  of  a  compact, 
small-growing  habit,  in  others  trees  of  great  height  and  spread, 
like  the  American  Elm.  These  questions  can  be  intelligently 
decided  only  after  full  consideration  of  such  questions  as  the 
width  of  street  and  sidewalk,  the  present  and  prospective  char- 
acter of  occupancy  and  amount  of  travel,  the  character  of  the 
sub-soil  and'  exposure,  and  the  possibility  and  estimated  cost  of 
establishing  and  maintaining  successfully  certain  alternative 
styles  of  street  tree  plantations. 

To  handle  this  street  tree  problem  in  a  businesslike  way 
each  street  or  distinct  portion  of  a  street  ought  to  be  taken 
up  on  its  own  merits,  in  relation  to  its  surroundings  and  con- 
ditions, and  after  reasonable  inquiry  into  the  facts  and  con- 
sultation Avith  the  abutters  by  hearings  or  otherwise,  it  should 
be  decided  what  definite  policy  it  will  best  pay  to  adopt  in 
regard  to  trees  in  that  street  during  the  next  fifty  oi"*  seventy- 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

five  years,  considering  the  probable  results  of  the  proposed 
policy  and  facing  the  necessary  cost  fairly  and  squarely. 

Xext  to  the  street  trees  the  most  conspicuous  objects  in  the 
streets   are   the   various   necessary   fixtures,   such   as   lamp-posts. 

hydrants,    street    name    signs,    mail- 

STREET  FIXTURES  hoxeii,     fire-alarm     and     police-tele- 

phone boxes,  boxes  or  cans  for  papers  and  other  waste,  etc.. 
and  poles  for  the  support  of  various  electric  wires,  together 
with  the  wires  which  they  carry.  The  first  principle  in  regard 
to  these  fixtures  is  to  combine  them  as  much  as  possible  so  as 
to  reduce  the  number  of  obstructions  and  of  confusing  objects 
on  the  sidewalks;  the  second  principle  is  to  make  them  as  simple 
and  as  agreeably  proportioned  as  possible,  \^dth  little  ornament, 
but  of  pleasing  outline.  As  to  the  poles  for  the  support  of 
telephone  and  telegraph  and  electric  light  wires,  the  ultimate 
ideal  is  unquestionably  their  entire  removal  and  the  substitu- 
tion of  underground  conduits,  but  as  an  immediate  practical 
matter  the  effort  should  be  to  adhere  more  rigidly  to  the  prin- 
ciple, already  somewhat  general  in  Boulder,  of  confining  such 
poles  and  overhead  wires  to  the  alleys. 

It  is  by  no  means  a  UtojDian  project,  however,  to  under- 
take the  gradual  introduction  of  underground  conduits  for  the 

wire?,  beginning  with  the  central 
UNDERGROUND  WIRES        ^,^^^.^   ^f   ^j^^   ^-^^  ^^^^  gradually   ex- 

tending.  But  the  thing  must  be  taken  up  in  a  conservative, 
businesslike  way  with  the  electric  service  companies  concerned 
and  a  reasonable  policy  adopted.  It  is  true  that  in  a  com- 
munity the  size  of  Boulder  the  annual  cost  of  an  underground 
conduit  service,  allowing  for  the  interest  on  the  investment, 
would  be  higher  than  that  of  an  overhead  service,  even  allow- 
ing for  the  greater  depreciation  and  repair  charges  of  the  latter; 
and  added  to  this  extra  annual  cost  is  the  difficulty  of  financ- 
ing the  first  investment  for  the  conduits.  But  there  is  no 
doubt  on  tlie  other  hand  that  the  gradual  elimination  of  the 
overhead  wires  will  be  of  very  real  advantage  to  the  community 
and  is  worth  paying  for.  The  community  must  pay  for  it  in 
the  long  run,  for  no  good  is  to  be  obtained  in  the  end  by  trying 

50 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

to  beat  the  electric  service  corporations  out  of  a  fair  jjrofit; 
but  on  the  other  hand  the  commimity  ought  to  make  sure  that 
tlie  companies  do  not  screw  an  unfair  profit  out  of  it  or  give 
it  a  poorer  equipment  and  service  than  it  is  entitled  to  get 
for  the  price  it  is  willing  to  pay.  In  the  matter  of  putting 
tlic  wires  underground  either  one  of  two  policies  may  1)e  foi- 
lowed:  One  is  for  the  city  to  build  and  own  the  conduit, 
appropriating  to  that  end  a  certain  amount  every  year  and  plan- 
ning the  system  in  conference  with  the  experts  of  the  electric 
service  corporations,  and  then  require  the  companies  to  put 
their  wires  into  the  conduits  district  by  district  as  tliey  are 
completed;  the  other  is  to  decide  after  thorough  conference 
with  the  companies  upon  certain  dates  within  which  the  wires 
are  to  be  put  underground  in  certain  districts  by  the  companies 
in  their  own  conduits,  and  then  hold  them  to  a  strict  account- 
ability for  completing  the  work  in  each  district  on  time.  In 
either  case  both  the  public  and  the  stockholders  of  the  companies 
are  entitled  to  a  thorough  investigation  of  costs  and  the  deter- 
mination of  rates  that  shall  be  a  fair  compensation  for  the 
equipment  and  service  provided,  neither  more  nor  less. 

Few  people  realize  the  great  importance  of  this  matter  of 
overhead  wires  as  affecting  the  appearance  of  the  city  because 

custom    gradually   blunts    our   sensi- 
THE  GREAT  HARM  IN  OVER-    ])[\[iy  to  the  effect  of  the  wires  and 

HEAD  WIRES  AND  POLES  ,    "        „,,  ,.,  •      -^^.x-.^ 

poles.  They  are  like  an  irritating, 
little  noise  to  which  one  gets  so  accustomed  as  not  to  notice  it 
at  all  until  it  ceases;  then  one  suddenly  becomes  aware  of  a 
grateful,  refreshing  quietness. 

In  a  city  the  only  thing  the  eye  can  rest  upon  that  is  not 
necessarily  controlled  by  man,  either  for  good  or  bad,  is  the  sky; 
and  while  we  are  most  actively  conscious  of  the  objects  on  or 
near  the  ground,  with  which  we  have  immediate  practical  con 
cern,  our  feelings  of  pleasure  or  depression  are  largely  depend- 
ent upon  the  sulx-onscious  effect  of  the  ever-present  sky,  whether 
it  be  bright  and  soft  and  beautiful,  or  overcast  with  clouds  or 
smoke,    or    obscured    with    ugly    and    inharmonious    objects    of 

51 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

hiuiian  lilt L'rjfc lion.  Both  in  the  slightness  of  the  impression 
it  ordinarily  makes  on  the  attention  and  in  its  immense  real 
effect  upon  the  general  sense  of  pleasure  or  discomfort,  the 
appearance  of  the  sk;y  and  what  is  seen  against  it  may  be  com- 
pared with  the  purity  of  the  air  habitually  breathed  or  with  the 
degree  of  noise  or  cpiict  in  habitual  surroundings.  The  nervous 
system  can  be  adjusted  to  almost  any  constant  surroundings  so 
that  they  cease  to  be  noticeable,  no  matter  how  noisy  or  how 
foul,  but  the  effect  of  the  conditions  upon  the  health  of  the 
nervous  system  and  upon  the  general  sense  of  well-being  does 
not  cease  when  the  attention  becomes  blunted. 

In  the  matter  of  street  lighting  Bouhler  has  a  capital  oppor- 
tunity in  the  proposed  municipal  ligiiting  plant,  to  be  operated 

by    the   surplus    head    of    the    city 

STREET  LIGHTING  ^^.,.^^^^,     ^^^pp]^-       ^^yl^l^     ^^^     g^cess     of 

available  water  power  the  city  should  be  able  to  afford  the 
luxury  of  the  very  best  of  lighting.  iSTow,  apart  from  the  ques- 
tion of  cost,  one  of  the  elements  of  excellence  in  street  lighting, 
whether  from  the  practical  or  aesthetic  point  of  Yiew,  is  the  use 
of  numerous  Avell-distributed  small  units  instead  of  a  more  lim- 
ited number  of  very  powerful  units.     Especially  in  a  city  like 

ARC  VERSUS  INCANDES-       I^^^^'^^^'i'-  ^hcre   the  streets  are   full 
CENT  LIGHTING  of  tToes.  powerful  arc  lights  at  rela- 

tively infrequent  intervals  give  far  less  satisfactory  results  than 
numerous  incandescent  lights,  because  the  trees  are  apt  to  throw 
large  parts  of  the  street  into  black  shadows  unless  the  lights  are 
set  so  low  as  to  dazzle  and  blind  the  eyes  in  approaching  them, 
whereas  the  incandescent  lights  may  be  set  below  the  foliage 
level  without  the  slightest  objection  and  give  a  much  more  uni- 
form as  well  as  a  mellower  light  and  more  decorative  effect. 
It  is  to  be  hoped,  therefore,  that  incandescent  lighting  may  be 
adopted  as  the  standard,  for  the  residence  streets  at  all  events. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  design  of  the  lamp-posts 
is  an  important  matter,  too  generally  treated  with  carelessness. 

A  good  deal  of    money    has    to    be 

LAMP  POSTS 

spent  upon  them  and  cast  iron  costs 
about  llie  same  amount  per  pound  whether  it  is  given  the  clumsy. 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

uninteresting,  or  ill-deeoratcd  i'onn  ot  some  stock  pattei'ii  oi'  a 
really  distino-uishcd  and  beautiful  form  specially  designed  for  the 
city  by  ni\  able  artist.  A  moderate  investment  in  devising  a  first- 
class  pattern  for  sucli  posts  is  a  very  good  investment.* 

Other  objects  "witiiin   the  highway  limits,   street   signs,  hy- 
drants, rubbish  boxes,  catch  basin  inlets,  etc.,  and  especially  large 
ARTISTIC  DESIGN  OF  structures,     like'     bridges,     offer     in 

MUNICIPAL  CONSTRUCTION  their  location  and  design  an  inter- 
minable series  of  pro])lems,  both  large  and  small,  calling  for  the 
joint  a])p]ication  of  teclmical  knowledge,  artistic  skill  and  good 
common  sense.  In  proportion  as  these  qualities  are  jointly  ap- 
plied to  all  of  such  problems  the  streets  of  the  city  will  improve 
and  in  proportion  as  any  or  all  these  qualities  are  left  out  ol: 
consideration  the  streets  will  suffer.  It  is  only  by  unusual  good 
fortune  that  a  city  can  fill  its  service  with  men  Avho  are  thor- 
ougiily  and  adequately  strong  in  all  three  of  the  requisite  cjual- 
ities,  and  practical!}^  in  order  to  accomplish  good  results  the  most 
important  thing  is  that  there  should  be  a  clear  recognition  of  the 
natural  liuman  limitations  of  responsible  officials  and  that  they 
should  be  provided  with  assistants  or  Avith  consulting  advisors 
competent  to  help  them  out  on  their  short  suits.  An  official 
may  be  somewhat  short  on  artistic  skill  or  on  technical  knowledge 
or  even  on  both  provided  he  has  common  sense  and  the  desire  and 
opportunity  to  get  the  co-operation  of  people  who  are  long  Avhere 
he  is  short,  and  he  will  get  good  results.  But  somehow  or  other 
all  three  of  the  abo^'e  qualities  must  be  brought  to  bear  or  the 
results  will  be  relatively  unsatisfactory. 

Assuming  that  the  leading  responsible  officials  are  reason- 
ably long  on  common  sense  and  honest  desire  for  excellence  and 
efficienc}^  it  ought  to  be  possible  to  secure  as  assistants,  if  a 
reasonably  ]iermanent  tenure  could  be  assured,  men  having  botli 
teclmical  and  artistic  training.  But  aside  from  any  doubts  about 
the  above  premises,  it  is  very  hard  to  find  assistants  having  a 
technical  training  in  municipal  construction  work  who  have  any 
artistic  training  at  all.     The  artistic  aspect  of  construction  work 


*For  arc  lights  the  form   of   suoport  and   lights  introduced   in   the   South    Park  System  of 
Chicago  and  known  as  the  Daniels  System  of  boulevard  lighting  is  worth  careful  consideration. 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

is  so  generally  ignored  in  the  training  of  civil  engineers,  and 
on  the  other  had  most  architects  and  architectural  draughtsmen 
are  so  lacking  in  the  particular  kind  of  technical  knowledge 
retjnired  in  namicipal  work,  that  the  right  combination  is  very 
hard  to  find.  3Ien  with  a  sound,  professional  training  as  land- 
scape architects  might  come  a  little  nearer  to  filling  the  bill 
than  architects,  but  the  number  of  such  men  available  a.s  mu- 
nicipal employees  is  too  small  to  be  Avorth  mentioning.  Prac- 
tically dependence  muist  be  placed  mainly  on  securing  assistants 
whose  training  has  been  along  engineering  lines,  leavened  if  pos- 
sible by  a  small  proportion  who  have  had  artistic  training  in 
landscape  architecture,  architecture  or  otherwise,  and  on  supple- 
menting this  somewhat  one-sided  agency  by  the  occasional  or 
regular  services  of  a  consulting  architect  and  a  consulting  land- 
scape architect. 

Of  course,  when  it  comes  to  the  design  of  a  school  house  or 
the  laying  out  of  a  park,  or  the  adoption  of  a  radically  new  Avater 

THE  EMPLOYMENT  OF  SPEC-  ^^^PP^^  °^  Sewerage  system,  it  is  cns- 
lAL  EXPERT  DESIGNERS  tomary  and  proper  to  select  and  em- 
ploy for  that  special  undertaking  an  expert  who  has 
proved  by  his  work  elsewhere  that  he  has  special  skill 
in  dealing  with  such  a  problem.  But  it  is  neither  con- 
venient nor  economical  nor  productive  of  harmonious  results  to 
parcel  out  all  the  minor  constructional  problems  of  a  city  among 
independent  professional  men.  Up  to  a  certain  limit  of  magni- 
tude and  difficulty  the  problems  ought  to  be  dealt  with  by  a  de- 
partmental force,  the  responsible  executive  head  of  which  is  nor- 
mally an  engineer.  In  cities  of  moderate  size  there  is  one  such 
department  under  a  City  Eugiuccr,  and  in  very  large  cities  sev- 
eral such  departments,  under  independent  Chief  Engineers.  But 
in  any  case  the  Avork  turned  out  by  such  city  departments  is 
apt  to  1)0  of  better  all-round  quality  if  the  responsible  execu- 
tive head  has  the  privilege  of  informal  consultation  with  certain 
other  experts,  especially  on  artistic  matters.  The  City  of  ISTew 
York  has  recently  established  the  office  of  Consulting  Architect 
to   the   Board   of   Estimate    and   Apportionment,   the    holder    of 


THE  FRED'ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

which  office  is  del^arrcd  from  undertaking  any  architectural  work 
for  the  city  on  his  own  account,  hut  whose  advice  as  a  consultant 
is  open  to  any  of  the  city  departments  that  prepare  projects  for 
construction  to  he  passed  on  hy  the  Board.  The  principle  is  a 
sound  one  and  ought  to  he  more  generally  applied. 


55 


Waterways  and  Related  Park  Opportunities 

The  prJneip;il  waterway  in  Boulder  is  Boulder  Creek,  and  its 
principal  function,  from  which  there  is  no  escaping,  is  to  carry 

off  the  storm-water  which  runs  into 
FLOODS  -^  j^.j,Q^^^  ^Yie  territory  which  it  drains. 

If,  lulled  by  the  securit}^  of  a  few  seasons  of  small  storms,  the 
community  permits  the  channel  to  be  encroached  upon,  it  will 
inevitably  pay  the  price  in  destructive  floods.  So  with  the  chan- 
nel of  Sunshine  Canon  and  others  of  less  importance.  In  the 
case  of  Boulder  C-reek  the  formation  of  the  ground  indicates  that 
at  one  time  or  another  the  stream  has  spread  or  wandered  over 
the  whole  of  the  low-lying  part  of  the- city.  Its  present  banks  in 
that  section  arc  low  and  the  larger  floods  have  always  been  re- 
lieved in  the  past  by  a  great  increase  in  the  width  of  the  stream 
whenever  it  has  risen  more  than  a  few  feet  above  its  normal 
summer  level.  The  fact  that  the  lands  nearest  to  the  stream 
channel  are  so  obviously  subject  to  flooding  has  tended  auto- 
matically to  retard  their  occupation  and  keep  them  free  for  the 
passage  of  floods,  but  increasing  land  values  are  steadily  in- 
creasing the  inducements  offered  to  the  owner  of  any  given 
parcel  of  these  lands  to  fill  it  to  a  level  above  what  he  guesses 

ENCROACHMENTS  ON  ^^'"^    ^^°°^"^S    '"^^    ^^^^^^    '^"'^'^    ^0    ^^^^^"^ 

FLOOD  PLAIN  upon  it.     It  is  ol)vious  that  if  this 

process  goes  on  without  the  exercise  of  any  control  for  the  pur- 
pose of  maintaining  an  adequate  channel,  the  cheap,  unoccupied 
low-lands  over  which  the  flood-waters  now  pass  harmlessly  away 
will  all  be  filled  up  and  occupied;  and  then  Avhen  a  big  flood 
comes,  larger  than  the  restricted  channel  can  carry,  the  flood 
is  going  to  tear  through  streets  and  houses,  doing  immense  dam- 
age. Again  and  again  this  little  piece  of  history  has  repeated 
itself  on  stream  after  stream,  in  town  after  town;  and  after  the 
damage  from  exceptional  floods  has  come  to  be  enormous  the 
community  has  gone  to  work  at  further  great  expense  to  widen 
and  otherwise  increase  the  capacity  of  the  storm  channel,  often 

56 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

condeinniug  buildings  and  building  land  of  much  value  to  secure 
the  necessary  relief. 

It  is  well  to  point  out  in  this  connection  that  the  City  of 
Boston,  through  neglecting  to  take  action  to  prevent  encroach- 
ment    on     the     channel     of     Stony 
HOW  BOSTON  PAID  FOR        ,,        ,  i  ii  +  4-1  „„ 

NEGLECTING  ITS  LITTLE      J>i'ook — a  much  smaller  stream  tlian 

FLOOD  PROBLEM  Boulder  Creek  and    much    less    tor- 

rential ill  character — was  finally  compelled  by  repeated  flooding 
of  streets  and  basements  to  undertake  radical  improvements 
which  have  cost  to  date  upwards  of  two  million  dollars. 

Unless  some  systematic  community  action  is  taken  for  the 

regulation  of  the   stream  and  its  banks  and  flood  channel  one 

or  the  other  of  two  serious  economic 
THE  RESULTS  OF  ^  •        i  i       .         x   i  i 

NEGLECTING  BOULDER        wastes     IS     T)Ound     to     take     place. 

CREEK  Either  a  good  deal  of  the  low  land 

near  the  stream  will  remain  unimproved,  idle,  and  neglected, 
tending  to  depreciate  values  near  it  and  involving  a  serious  loss 
of  the  opportunity  afforded  by  its  location  near  the  heart  of  the 
town;  or  else  this  land  will  be  filled  and  used  for  private  pur- 
poses, thus  restricting  the  flood  channel  of  the  stream  and 
sooner  or  later  causing  calamitous  floods. 

This  is  on  its  face  a  plain,  straightforward  question  of  hy- 
draulics and  municipal  common  sense.  If  the  people  of  Boulder 
only  have  the  sense  to  take  warning  by  the  experience  of  other 
towns  they  will  deal  with  it  now,  while  it  can  be  dealt  with 
cheaply  and  easily,  instead  of  waiting  till  a  catastrophe  forces 
them  to  remedy  their  neglect  under  conditions  that  will  make 
a  solution  far  more  costly  and  less  satisfactory. 

AVhat  would  be  a  businesslike  procedure?  First,  to  form 
a  serious  and  painstaking  estimate  or  forecast  of  the  maximum 

HOW  TO  DEAL  WITH  THE       ^'^^^^"^     "^     ^^<^"'^     ''"^^''''    '''^^''^^'     ^^'^ 
FLOOD  PROBLEM  creek    is    likely    to    have    discharged 

into  it  in  the  future,  based  upon  a  careful  compilation  and  study 

of  all  the  existing  records  and  reports  of  past  floods  and  upon 

a  comparison  of  the  extent  and  character  of  the  drainage  area 

57 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

and  the  precipitation  thereon  with  those  of  other  comparahle 
streams  of  wliich  tlie  flood  records  have  been  kept.  With  this 
estimate  it  is  a  relativel_y  simple  matter  for  a  hydraulic  engin- 
eer to  figure  how  mnch  of  a  channel  must  be  left  to  provide 
free  outlet  for  the  expected  flood  without  its  being  forced  to 
tear  through  the  streets. 

It  is  a  complicated  technical  investigation,  but  in  principal 
it  does  not  differ  one  whit  from  the  process  through  which  a 
AV'oman  goes  when  she  looks  at  the  bowl  into  which  she  is  about 
to  turn  a  can  of  peaches  and  makes  up  her  mind  whether  it  Avill 
hold  what  is  in  the  can.  Either  it  will  or  it  won't,  and  she  is  a 
foolish  woman  if  she  gives  no  heed  to  the  probabilities  until  the 
peaches  slop  over  on  the  table. 

AVithout  attempting  to  anticipate  the  results  of  a  careful 
investigation  of  the  flood  jiroblem  of  Boidder  Creek  it  is  safe  to 

sav    tliis:     There    are    two    general 
TYPES  OF  TREATMENT  •     ^^:^^^^    ^^^    channel    adapted    to    meet 

such  conditions  as  Boulder  Creek  presents.  One  is  the  relatively 
narrow  walled  channel  of  relatively  great  depth,  deep  enough  or 
high-  sided  enough  io  take  any  expectable  increase  of  flow  with- 
out an  appreciable  widening  of  the  stream.  This  may  be  called 
the  artificial  reproduction  or  imitation  of  a  canon  or  gorge.  The 
other  ]H'ovides  a  small  shallow  channel  for  the  ordinary  stages  of 
the  stream  but  permits  the  w^ater  when  it  rises  above  the"  level 
of  this  low-water  channel  to  spread  out  and  occu^jy  a  much 
broader  flood-channel,  Avhich  can  carry  it  off  without  forcing  it 
to  rise  much  higher.  This  is  of  course  an  adaptation  from  the 
ordinary  form  of  a  natural  river  channel  in  lowland  country. 
Where  land  values  are  very  high  and  land  is  preoccupied  by 
buildings,  etc.,  so  that  the  saving  in  width  will  pay  for  the  cost 
of  construction  of  the  deep  channel  with  its  high,  protecting 
walls  and  numerous  incidental  expenses,  the  former  is  generally 
em2)loyed  even  in  flat  ground,  but  where  land  values  are  lower 
the  latter  is  apt  to  be  employed.  We  are  strongly  inclined  to 
believe  that  at  least  below  the  Twelfth  Street  bridge  the  latter 
will   prove    ihe   more   economical   and    satisfactory   plan.     Under 


THE  T^RED'ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

sucli    a    plan,    in    a   city,    one    great 

INCIDENTAL  VALUE  OF  inpiVlpnt-il      viluc      attacllGS      to      the 

FLOOD  CHANNEL  MARGINS    ^""Cientai     \aiiu      auacncs     xo     iiit 

iiiai'iiiiis  of  flat  land  subject  to  occa- 
sional flooding  Avhieli  intervene  between  the  ordinary  channel  and 
the  outer  embankments  that  limit  the  flood  channel.  AVitli  the 
exception  of  a  few  days  in  the  year  these  "washes,"  as  such 
lands  are  calli.'d  in  the  English  midlands,  are  dry  ground,  avail- 
able for  any  kind  of  use  not  inconsistent  with  the  free  passage 
of  the  flood  waters  when  the  time  comes.  To  make  a  "park"' 
of  such  ground  in  the  sense  in  which  that  much  abused  term  is 
often  applied,  as  indicating  something  very  highly  polished  and 
exquisite  with  costly  flowers  and  other  decorations  of  a  kind  that 

would  be  ruined  bv  flooding,  would 
A  BOULDER  CREEK  "PARK"     ^^^    foolishness.      But    the    plan    of 

keeping  open  for  public  use  near  the  heart  of  the  city  a  simple 
piece  of  ])rettv  Ijottom-land  of  the  very  sort  that  Boulder  Creek 
has  l)cen  flooding  over  for  countless  centuries,  of  growing  a  few 
tough  old  trees  on  it  and  a  few  bushes,  and  of  keeping  the  main 
part  of  the  ground  as  a  simple,  open  common,  where  the  chil- 
dren can  play  and  over  which  the  wonderful  views  of  the  foot- 
hills can  be  oljtained  at  their  best  from  the  shaded  paths  and 
roads  along  the  embankiuent  edge — this  would  give  a  piece  ot 
recreation  ground  worth  a  great  deal  to  the  people.  And  at  the 
same  time  it  is  probably  the  cheapest  Avay  of  handling  the  flood 
problem  of  Boulder  Creek. 

Before  discussing  further  the  landscape  treatment  of  the 
"washes"  of  Boulder  Creek,  in  ease  of  the  adoption  of  the  treat- 
ment we  suggest  for  the  flood  channel,  we  should  like  to  set 
forth  certain  considerations  that  have  a  general  application  to 
any  parks  or  pleasure  grounds  that  may  be  undertaken  in  the 
city. 

The   three   great  natural   advantages  attainable   within   the 

city  of  Boulder  are:     First,  the  climate,  supplemented  by  ample 

water,    without    which    the    climate 
FUNDAMENTALS  ,,    ,  •      ,       n       . 

OF  PARK  DESIGN  FOR         woulcL   become   a  curse  mstead  oi  a 

BOULDER  blessing;    second,    the    views    toward 

the  beautiful  foothills;  third,  the  eastward  views  from  the  higher 

59 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

groiiiK,!  ill  the  wepterii  parts  of  the  city  out  over  tlie  plains. 

^n  a  region  of  brilliant  sunshine  which  at  times  hecomes 
distiiictl}'  too  hot  for  the  greatest  comfort  and  at  times  is  sought 

THE  OUTLOOK  FROM  ^'''''  '''^  grateful  Avarmth  by  anyone 
SHADE  TO  SUN  who  can  find  a   sunny  spot  that  is 

sheltered  from  the  driving  wind,  two  types  of  situation  and  of 
landscape  become  of  especial  value.  One  is  the  densely  shaded 
promenade  or  grove  from  which  one  can  look  out  upon  the  con- 
trasting brilliancy  of  open  sunshine  and  luminous  air,  and  enjoy 
its  lirilliancc  the  more  for  the  contrast.  To  stroll  or  sit  on  a 
warm  day  beneath  clean-stemmed  trees  through  which  the  breeze 
may  freely  draw,  to  feel  their  canoj)y  overhead  protecting  the  eye 
from  the  glare  of  sky  and  sun,  and  to  look  out  upon  an  open 
space  batbed  in  the  brilliant  sunshine,  even  if  it  be  but  a  little 
open  courtyard  or  lawn  or  a  street,  is  to  taste  one  of  the  highest 
charms  of  the  wonderful  climate  with  which  Boulder  is  blessed. 
The  other  type  of  situation  is  a  nook  sheltered  from  the  search- 
THE  SUNNY  ^^^^  winds  by  wall  or  hedge  or  mass 

SHELTERED  CORNER  of  trees  but  freely  open  to  the 
sun  above.  In  either  case  one  of  the  essentials  is  a  certain 
amount  of  clear  open  space  not  obstructed  by  trees  or  buildings 
or  anything  rising  much  above  the  surface. 

Again;  if  one  would  enjoy  the  view  of  the  foothills  or  the 
occasional  glimpse  of  the  Arapahoe  Peaks  looming  up  over  the 
notch  of  Boulder  Canon  from  any  place  in  the  central  or  eastern 
part  of  the  city  he  must  bear  in  mind  that  houses  and  trees  will 
completely  shut  off  those  views  unless  he  can  find  a  spot  in  front 
of  which  there  is  open  ground  in  the  line  of  view  entirely  free 
from  such  obstructions  for  a  considerable  distance. 

Any  intelligent  effort  in  the  way  of  providing  public  recrea- 
tion grounds  in  Boulder  and  especially  in  the  flatter  eastern  part 
thereof  cannot  fail  to  be  profoundly  influenced  by  the  above  con- 
siderations. Except  where  peculiar  circumstances  dictate  some 
other  treatment,  the  problem  must  be  to  secure,  with  whatever 
variation  in  detail  and  in  expression,  certain  elements  of  design 
essential  to  utilizing  the  great  natural  resources  of  the  situation; 

60 


TPfE  FREDERICK  LAW  OL^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

a      more      or      loss      dcnsclv      shaded 
A  SPECIAL  TYPE    OF    RECRE-  ,  ,,  '  ,- 

ATION  GROUND  PROPER       iMuiiu'iiade      goiUTally      surrounding 

FOR  BOULDER  ;,ii,|   always  contiguous  to    an    open 

space  which  shall  be  preferably  free  from  all  obstructions  rising 

above  the  level  of  the  eye,  and  which  sliall  Ije  of  such  size  and 

shape  i]i  relation  to  the  height   and  character  of   the   enclosing 

objects  as  to  afiord  permanent  views  of  the  foothills  from  the 

promenade,   and  preferably   from  the   open   space   itself,   over  a 

pleasing  foreground.     These  essentials  may  be  secured  again  and 

again   without   any   sameness,   indeed   with   infinite   variation   of 

character  if  proper  skill  be  used.     The  shaded  promenade  may 

be  a  vine-clad  arl»or  or  a  formal  and  orchard-like  grove  or  a\enue 

of  trees;   it  may  be   a   winding  path  that   picks  its   way   along 

within  the  margin  of  the  most  irregular  and  pictttresque  of  varied 

plantations.     The  open   space  may  be   a  garden  all  aglow  with 

bloom,  or  a  smooth,  irrigated  grass  plat,  or  a  field  of  alfalfa  ready 

for   the   scythe,   or   the   smooth,   bare   surface   of   a   playground, 

or  a  Avide  basin  of  water  where  children  could  Avade  and  play 

Avith  boats  or  even  go  in  SAvimming,   or  it  may  be   the   rough, 

unkempt  but  cleanly  surface  of  a  pasture.     The  principle  is  the 

same  in  aiiy  case,  though  the  execution  be  indefinitely  varied. 

In   the   Ireatment   of  the   "Avashes"'   of  Boulder    Creek   this 
principle  points  to  the  concentration  of  the  tree  planting  mostly 

THE  DESIGN  OF  THE  BOUL-     '^^""8"    ^^'^    ''""'^'^^    ^^"^^^    P'^*^^^    ^^    *^^ 
DER  CREEK  RESERVATION      bordering  embankments,  the  careful 

studying  out  of  the  best  vieAvs  and  the  limiting  of  all  other  tree 
and  shrub  groAvth  to  locations  that  will  never  interfere  Avith 
these  views  but  merely  afford  them  pleasing  frames.  The  treat- 
ment of  the  remaining  surface  is  something  of  a  problem.  Ever}'- 
requirement  of  landscape  enjoyment  Avould  be  met  by  lajdng  it 
doAvn  in  alfalfa  and  either  cutting  it  for  hay  or  pasturing  it. 
ludced  it  Avould  be  a  simple  and  inexpensive  Avay  of  maintaining 
a  beautiful  piece  of  park-like  landscape  to  fence  off  the  "washes'" 
from  the  roads  and  paths  of  the  enclosing  embankment  and  turn 
cattle  in  to  graze  at  so  much  per  head.  This  Avonld  not  prevent 
those  Avho  are  uuafraid  of  coavs  from  strolling  along  the  stream 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

or  througli  liic  fields  and  it  would  cerlaiiily  tend  to  form  a  very 
beautiful  type  of  landscape  excellently  suited  to  the  circum- 
stances. No  one  can  doulit  this  who  has  seen  the  little  hits  of 
pastured  ground  along  the  creek  ahove  the  railroad,  where 
gypsies  or  oth.er  campers  have  been  in  the  habit  of  gathering 
and  turning  loose  their  animals  to  graze.  If  cattle  are  to  be 
excluded  from  the  "washes"'"  and  if  they  are  opened  to  general 
trampling  by  the  public,  some  experimenting  will  have  to  be 
done  to  find  the  best  treatment  of  the  surface;  but  wdiatever 
hapjiens  we  hope  the  city  will  not  be  led  into  the  foolish  extrav- 
agance of  trying  to  make  an  artificial  clipped  lawn  of  these  areas. 
Such  a  treatment  would  be  far  less  beautiful  and  far  less  appro- 
priate, as  well  as  far  more  costly,  than  to  treat  it  as  rough 
jiasture  or  mowing  land — just  set  apart  to  be  seen  and  enjo^'ed 
from  the  ample  j^aths  and  roads  on  its  margin  during  all  times 
of  year,  to  serve  as  a  simple  open  foreground  to  the  lovely  dis- 
tant views,  and  to  serve  when  the  floods  come  down  as  a  vent 
for  their  rising  volume. 

The  width  as  well  as  the  treatment  of  the  proposed  public 
holdings  along  Boidder  Creek  must  be  adjusted  in  detail  accord- 
ing  to   land   prices   and  local   avail- 
OUTLINE   OF  PROPOSED  ,*:,.         ,  \ 

PUBLIC  HOLDINGS  ALONG      ability  tor  park  jmrposes  as  well  as 

BOULDER  CREEK  ]jy    hydraulic    requirements,    but    a 

su]ierficial  study  of  the  situation  suggests  the  following  approxi- 
mate outline.  Starting  down  stream,  beginning  at  the  Twelfth 
Street  bridge  where  the  land  values  are  high,  we  advise  limit- 
ing the  control  of  the  banks  to  a  very  narrow  strip  on  each  side, 
enough  only  to  provide  an  adequate  channel  for  the  stream,  with 
substantial  walls  to  protect  its  banks  in  place  of  the  present 
wooden  bulkheads  whenever  their  reconstruction  is  justified, 
with  an  ample  foot-path  shaded  by  a  single  row  of  trees  along 
the  north  embankment  and  with  some  planting  against  the 
Twelfth  Street,  lots  on  the  south  embankment.  After  getting 
Ijeyond  Twelfth  Street  lots  the  breadth  of  the  embankment  could 
be  increased  at  small  expense,  giving  room  for  more  trees  and 
for  Ijenches,  etc. 

62 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

At'ler   reaching   Anii)alioG   Avenue   (by  means   oi'   wiiiuk   ve- 
hicles can   reach   the  h;inks  of  the  stream  from  Twelfth  Street 

without   the  necessity  of  any  costly 
RIVER  DRIVE  ^^^,^^,      roadway      through     expensive 

property)  the  left  !)ank  of  the  creek  Avould  be  bordered  by  a 
l)ark  drive  and  promenade,  overlooking  the  water  and  command- 
ing occasional  views  across  it  to  the  foothills.  This  boundary 
drive  or  street  would  be  set  at  a  grade  Just  sufficiently  higli  to 
protect  tlie  lands  northeast  of  it  from  flooding  and  would  ai5 
the  same  time  form  a  very  attractive  new  street  for  house  front- 
age, thus  tending  to  raise  adjacent  values  considerably,  ft 
Avoidd  reach  IT  Hi  .Street  Jast  north  of  the  bi'idge,  and  would  be 
continued  east  of  JTtli  Street  on  a  due  east  line,  passing  Just 
south  of  the  occupied  lot  on  the  southeast  corner  of  l?tli  and 
Athens  Streets. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  stream  below  the  Arapahoe  Avenue 
bridge  it  would  seem  expedient  to  widen  boldh^  and  include  the 

consi{lera1)le    tract    of    vacant    level 
PLAYFIELD  ^.^^^^l     ^^-^^^     between     the      railroad 

and  the  creek  east  of  the  lots  which  face  on  12th  Street.  This 
tract  would  be  very  useful  as  a  playfield  and  as  an  open  space 
over  which  to  enjoy  the  foothill  views  from  the  drive  and  path 
along  the  north  bank  already  described.  Where  the  houses  have 
been  built  close  to  the  stream  bank  Just  west  of  the  17th  Street 
bridge,  of  course  it  would  not  pay  to  take  any  land,  except  the 
valueless  land  under  water  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  itself.  The 
reason  for  accjuiring  the  latter  is  to  guard  effectively  against  any 
encroachment  upon  the  stream  in  connection  Avith  possible  fur- 
ther imjn-ovements  of  this  land  and  to  put  the  city  in  a  position 
to  put  up  an  embankment  Avail  on  the  Avest  sidei  of  the  stream 
if  it  should  at  any  time  seem  desirable.  But  since  the  city 
could  not  acquire  any  holdings  above  this  bank  at  ])resent  Avith- 
out  getting  into  rather  heavy  damages  it  is  not  advisable  for  the 
city  to  take  over  the  burden  of  maintaining  the  ])rotection  of 
the  Ijank  itself  against  the  Avash  of  the  stream. 

East  of  17th  Street  on  the  right  bank  a  new  street  or  park- 

63 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

Avav  already  referred  to  should,  be  laid  out,  starting  from  17tli 

"    UPLAND  DRIVE  AND  ^^''"^^     ^-*3'     ^^     ^'''^''^     ^''^^     ^^uth     of 

VIEW  the    l)ridge,    passing    south    of    Mr. 

Paree's  house  ahout  on  the  line  between  his  lot  and  that  of!  the 
University,  and  rising  b}'  an  easy  grade  along  the  steep  hillside 
below  the  Hospital  so  as  to  reach  the  upper  level  about  opposite 
the  end  of  Palmer  Street  produced.  Such  a  drive  running  along 
the  edge  of  the  bluff  would  command  a  superb  A'iew  of  the  city 
with  the  mesas  and  foothills  rising  behind  it  to  the  north  and 
northwest,  with  the  valley  of  the  creek  in  the  foreground.  Unless 
some  such  drive  is  Imilt,  this  view,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
characteristic  in  the  city,  will  be  permanently  lost  to  the  public. 
The  University  originally  commanded  this  very  view,  but  the 
location  of  the  railroad  and  the  building  up  of  intervening  lots 
have  already  greatly  impaired  that  outlook,  and  the  process  is 
still  going  on.  Soon  no  one  will  get  the  benefit  of  this  situation 
but  some  of  the  patients  in  the  back  rooms  of  the  Hospital  and 
those  occupying  the  back  rooms  and  back  yards  of  a  few  private 
lots  on  Universit}^  Avenue.  The  accompanying  sketch  shows  the 
type  of  cross  section  we  have  had  in  mind  for  this  drive  and 
jDromenade.  It  is  assumed  to  be  taken  at  a  point  a  little  west  of 
the  line  of  Palmer  Street.  At  the  rear  of  the  Hospital  the  road 
Avould  be  wholly  in  fill;  at  the  vipper  end  it  Avould  be  perhaps 
wholly  in  cut.  This  drive  Avould  cross  the  County  Eoad  at  or 
about  the  corner  of  University  Avenue  and  continue  on  to  the 
end  of  the  ridge  at  28th  Street,  Avhere  it  might  be  expected  to 
branch,  one  branch  following  along  the  south  side  of  the  creek  on 
the  low  ground  and  the  other  extending  as  a  thoroughfare  to 
the  southeast. 

AYith  the  exception  of  the  brick  yard  and  a  small  dwelling 
near  the  County  Road  and  of  Mr.  Paree's  dwelling  just  east  of 
ITth  Street,  all  of  which  might  be  omitted  from  the  purchases, 
the  property  between  this  proposed  drive  and  the  creek  is  of  very 
little  market  value  and  should  be  secured  for  park  ])urposes  very 
cheaply.  For  park  jmrposes  it  is  decidedly  valuable  as  the  fore- 
ground to  a  series  of  inspiring  views  from  the  high  level  parkway, 

64 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

and  as  the  enclosure  and  protection  of  the  landscape  ol'  the  creek 
over  which  the  views  of  the  foothills  are  lo  Ije  ohlaiiied  lYoin  the 
low  level  parkway  on  the  north  hank  of  the  creek. 

Returning  to  the  lattei'.  there  are  some  large  vacant  fields 
just  Avest  of  the  County  Eoad  and  extending  practically  u])  to  the 

RIVER  DRIVE  AND  LARGE        ^'^^"^^  ^^  ^^^^  J.incoln  School.      This  IS 
ATHLETIC  FIELD  the  nearest  point  to  the  heart  of  the 

city  and  to  the  principal  schools  where  a  good  sized  field  can  he 
secured,  and  the  purchase  of  it  at  ])]'esent  prices  is  very  much  to 
he  desired.  Between  the  County  Road  and  the  outfall  of  the 
city  sewer  a  much  more  limited  taking  woidd  suffice  to  protect 
the  stream  and  afford  an  agreeahle  parkway.  Indeed  all  that  is 
needed  in  tliis  whole  section  from  ITth  Street  eastward  is  an 
inexpensive  gravel  road  and  somie  skillful  thinning  of  the  trees 
and  hrush  to  make  a  ])arkway  of  very  remarkahle  heauty.  It  is 
at  present  such  a  difficult  matter  to  make  one's  Ava}^  along  the 
creek  through  fences  and  thickets  and  other  ohstruetions  that 
we  venture  to  guess  there  are  very  few  citizens  of  Boulder  who 
have  any  conception  of  the  potential  heauty  of  such  a  parkway 
as  is  here  suggested.  And  always  it  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that 
sooner  or  later  the  problem  of  controlling  and  caring  for  the 
flood  waters  of  the  creek  will  force  the  city  to  take  control  of 

the  channel.       If    action    is  delayed 
THE  COST  OF  DELAY  ^^^    j^^^g.    ^j^^    ^^^^^    ^.^^^^^^    ^^^-^^    ^^^    ^ 

costly  piece  of  engineering  construction  serving  no  purpose  other 
than  the  prevention  of  floods;  whereas  if  the  matter  is  taken  in 
hand  noAv  the  city  will  spend  less  money  on  the  hydraidic  im- 
provement and  get  a  beautiful  parkwav  to  boot. 

We  have  made  no  examination  of  the  creek  banks  below  the 
sewer  outfall,  because  there  is  no  hurry  about  that  part  of  the 
improvement,  but  it  Avould  seem  desirable  ultimately  to  extend  the 
parkway  indefinitely  in  the  direction  of  Yalmont  and  the  lakes. 

Just  what  to  do  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  sewer  outfall 
is  a  complicated  question  about  Avhich  we  have  only  certain  gen- 
eral considerations  to  put  before  you. 
SEWAGE  DISPOSAL  PLANT      r^^^^  ^^^.^^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^  permanently  suit- 

able  method  of  selvage  disposal  is  one  which  the  City  of  Boulder 

65 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

Avill  sooner  or  later  liave  to  faee.  At  present  the  sewage  is  dis- 
charged with  all  its  dangerons  impurities  into  Boulder  Creek  a 
short  distance  helow  the  town,  and  passes  in  a  somewhat  diluted 
condition  into  the  several  intakes  that  supply  water  to  various 
localities  further  down  the  stream.  Experience  elsewhere  indi- 
cates that  considerations  of  public  health  will  require  these  condi- 
tions to  l)e  remedied  and  that  either  voluntarily  or  under  legal 
compulsio]\  Boulder  will  have  to  assume  the  burden  of  disposing 
of  its'  sewage  without  menace  to  the  health  of  other  communi- 
ties. 

Of  late  years  under  careful  scientific  study  of  the  problem 
the  method  most  generally  adopted  for  the  purification  of  munic- 
ipal sewage  has  been  the  use  of  "bacterial  filtration  beds,"  so- 
called,  in  some  of  their  inany  forms.  The  same  results  in  trans- 
forming the  dangerous  organic  matter  of  the  sewage  into  harm- 
less com])ounds  have  also  been  obtained,  and  to'  a  great  extent 
by  identical  iiatural  processes,  where  the  sewage  has  been  applied 
not  to  bare  filter  beds  but  to  cultivated  and  productive  sewage 

farms.     The   chief  reasons   whv   the 
SEWAGE  FARMS  i,.^^.^    ^.jj^^.,.    1,^,^^^    j^.^^.^    ^^^^,^^    ^^^^^^^ 

in  American  cities  as  against  the  irrigated  sewage  farm  are,  we 
believe,  first,  that  the  area  required  to  deal  with  a  given  amount 
of  sewage  is  smaller  in  rhe  case  of  the  bare  beds,  and  second, 
(bat  under  ordinary  conditions  of  municipal  management,  the 
farming  is  a  more  comj)licated  business  than  city  employees  can 
be  expected  to  carry  on  successfully,  even  though  it  might  bring 
in  enough  incoiue  if  skillfidly  handled  to  pay  for  a  competent 
manager.  Another  reason  is  that  in  the  East,  where  most  of  the 
development  in  sewage  disposal  methods  has  thus  far  taken  place. 
irrigation  farming  is  an  unaccustomed  idea  and  water  is  generally 
regarded  merely  as  something  to  be  got  rid  of  in  the  easiest  pos- 
sible way.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  latter  condition 
is  entirely  reversed  at  Boulder  and  that  every  economic  reason 
points  toward  the  utilization  of  the  Boulder  sewage  for  irrigation 
purposes.  ^Ye  have  been  given  to  understand  that  an  offer  has 
already  been  made  to  ]iay  the  city  for  the  right  to  use  the  outflow 
from  the  sewer  for  irrigating  private  lands. 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OL^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

There  appeni'  in  he  two  somid  I'casdiis  lor  ol)jcct  iii^i'  to  this 
method  of  dealing  witli  tlie  (|iU'>tion  and   For  ])i'(  feri'inii-  a  sewage 

REASON  FOR  A  CITY  SEWAGE    '''''■"'    "^^■"''''    ''>'    ^''^'    '■'^>-      '^^'"'    '''^"'^ 
FARM  is  a     sanitary     nnv.        The     pi-iniary 

purpose  of  the  muh'rtaking  l)eing  to  ])roteet  tlie  public  health 
it  would  he  very  unwise  for  tlie  city  to  turn  over  the  handling  ol 
this  (hmgeroas  though  useful  material  to  a  pri\ate  party  whose 
main  ohjecf  wouhl  not  he  to  make  sure  ot  its  purification,  but 
to  use  it  in  the  handiest  way  for  irrigation.  The  second  reason 
is  that  owing  to  the  difficidty  and  cost  of  frequently  changing  the 
point  ot  discharge  of  the  sewage  there  Avouhl  he  little  if  any  com- 
petition in  l)idding  for  its  use  and  the  city  would  he  more  or 
less  at  the  merer  of  the  land  o\\'ners  with  whom  the  first  con- 
tracts were  made.  On  the  other  hand  if  tlie  sewage  were  a}t]»lied 
to  land  owned  hy  the  city  the  business  of  growing  ero])s  on  the 
irrigated  land,  under  proper  restrictions  for  insuring  the  sani- 
tary disposal  of  the  sewage  and  preventing  the  use  of  crops  (like 
lettuce,  etc.)  of  a  sort  that  might  endanger  health  through  their 
contaniinati<ni  hy  sewage,  could  he  leased  (Uit  annuallv  or  at  longer 
intervals  to  the  highest  hidder. 

As  the  citv  grows  to  the  eastward  it  would  1)econie  necessary 
at  intervals  of  some  years  to  extend  the  sewer  system,  to  acquire 
a  new  sewage  farm  and  to  dispose  of  the  old  one  for  other  pur- 
poses, in  part  probably  for  building  land  and  in  part  for  parks 
and  other  pai)lic  purposes. 

Even  while  in  use  for  its  original  purpose  a  sewage  farm 
would  have  some  ])ark  value,  for  if  properly  conducted  it  is  in 
no  way  an  unsightly  or  disagreeable  spot,  and  though  the  general 
public  could  not  he  permitted  to  walk  about  in  the  irrigated  ai'ea, 
there  might  very  well  be  a  pid)lic  drive  and  ]iromenade  along  the 
border  overlooking  the  fields  and  commanding  the  mountain 
views  l)eyond  them.  The  natural  place  for  such  a  farm  would  be 
on  or  near  the  banks  of  the  creek,  its  precise  location  and  extent 
being  more  or  less  closely  determined  by  engineering  considera- 
tions as  to  grade  of  outfall  and  probable  volume  of  sewage  to  be 
handled. 

67 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

lifiuniiiig  now  to  .the  12tli  Street  bridge  and  working  up 
stream,  it  appears  impracticable  to  secure  any  continuous  drive- 
BOULDER  CREEK  ABOVE       ^^'^3'  or  border  street  near  the  creelv. 
TWELFTH  STREET  It  does   seeni  practicable  and  desir- 

able, iiowover.  to  secure  a  margin  of  vacant  land  of  varying 
width,  most  of  it  subject  to  occasional  overflow.  It  is  desirable 
here  as  e}sc^\lu're  to  avoid  the  complete  obstruction  of  these 
'Svashes"'  by  filling  in  right  up  to  the  edge  of  the  creek  because 
all  such  constriction  of  the  channel  tends  inevitably  to  raise  the 
flood  level  of  the  creek.  If  the  public  controls  a  comparatively 
narrow  margin  of  the  lowland  on  each  side  of  the  creek,  and  if 
trees  are  allowed  to  grow  near  the  propert}^  line  as  a  screen 
against  the  rather  unattractive  class  of  occupancy  to  be  found 
in  much  of  this  section,  and  if  too  many  trees  are  not  permitted 
to  grow  along  the  stream  banks  so  as  to  obstruct  the  valley,  the 
immediate  result  will  be  to  conserve  and  greatly  enhance  the 
views  that  can  be  obtained  from  all  of  the  street  bridges  in 
crossing  the  creek.  But  even  here  these  "washes"  can  be  made 
of  direct  service  for  park  purposes  by  means  of  a  low  level  path 
readied  by  steps  from  the  bridges  and  winding  along  the  stream- 
side.  This  path  sho\dd  Ije  formed  of  cement  or  tar  concrete  and 
should  be  so  designed  and  built  that  it  Avould  offer  no  obstruc- 
tion to  the  water  when  covered  by  floods  and  cause  no  eddies 
that  would  be  likely  to  start  a  washout  of  the  adjacent  surface. 
Although  the  head-room  would  be  very  limit-d,  such  a  path 
conld  pass  under  the  existing  bridges  and  form  a  continuous  park 
})ath  that  would  offer  a  very  attractive  stroll  when  the  surround- 
ings are  decently  cared  for.  Very  likely  people  in  Boulder  have 
got  so  accustomed  to  thinking  of  the  creek  and  its  banks  as  a 
place  to  throw  tin  cans  and  rubbish  that  it  may  require  too  great 
a  feat  of  the  imagination  to  conceive  of  it  as  a  prett}^  shady  spot 
with  a  clean,  well-kept  park  path  running  beside  the  murmuring 
Avaters,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  such  an  ideal  is  quite  easily  attain- 
able. Of  course  every  time  the  creek  is  flooded  the  path  will 
be  put  temporarily  out  of  business,  but  the  day  after  it  goes 
down,  when  the  caretaker  has  had  time  to  sweep  off  a  little  mud 
or  gravel  here  and  there  and  pick  up  and  burn  the  driftwood  or 


I 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

rubbish  that  may  have  lodged  against  the  liridgc  ahutuieuls  or  the 
trees,  it  will,  all  be  as  good  as  ever. 

Xext  r^th  Street  the  strip  of  low  vacant  land  between  the 
creek  and  the  first  building  south  of  it  and  al)out  an  equal 
amount  on  the  north  ought  thus  to  be  acquired,  running  through 
on  these  lines  to  the  railroad  bridge  and  the  "'paper"  location  of 
11th  Street.  West  of  11th  Street  the  south  bank  of  the  creek 
is  occupied  (on  paper)  by  a  narrow  street  or  alley  called  Eiversidc 
Street  which  would  be  continued  through  as  such  to  9th  Street. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  creek  from  11th  to  9th  Street  the  taking 
line  would  be  about  parallel  with  the  creek,  starting  from  11th 
Street  on  the  line  of  the  alley  as  laid  out  and  meeting  9th 
Street  just  north  of  the  angle  where  the  latter  turns  to  go  over 
the  bridge.  A  row  of  lots  would  be  left  between  this  taking 
line  and  the  railroad  and  they  would  have  frontage  on  the  em- 
bankment roadway. 

West  of  9th  Street  on  the  north  bank  of  the  creek  only 
a  path,  at  varying  levels,  can  be  j^rovided  for.  It  would  pass 
between  the  reduction  works  and  the  creek,  under  tlie  railroad 
bridge,  along  a  bulkhead-  bet^veen  the  Boyd  mill  and  the  creek 
and  so  along  to  the  westward.  On  the  south  Ijank  it  is  to  be 
honied  that  a  street  can  be  put  through  from  9th  to  Gth  Street, 
passing  just  north  of  the  Highland  School  grounds  and  the  old 
house  marked  "Austin"  on  the  large  map,  and  that  all  the  low 
land  covered  with  interesting  vegetation  which  lies  between  this 
line  and  the  creek  can  be  included  for  park  purposes.  "West  of 
Gth  Street  there  is  an  alley  or  path  for  a  short  distance  which 
ought  to  be  extended  through  as  a  public  path  as  far  as  the 
railroad.  The  creek  is  here  bordered  by  a  fine  growth  of  trees, 
and  despite  the  extreme  difficulty  of  scrambling  along  the  bank 
at  present  there  are  signs  that  it  is  a  good  deal  used,  probably 
for  the  most  part  by  tramps  and  small  boys.  A  proper  public 
23ath  Avhich  could  be  lighted  and  policed  would  do  away  with 
a  nuisance  here  at  the  same  time  that  it  opened  a  pretty  stroll- 
ing place  to  decent  people.  At  present  such  a  path  would  dead- 
end against  the  railroad  and  anyone  going  beyond  Avould  have 

69 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

to  iToss  the  railroad  at  grade  as  they  do  now;  hut  ultimately 
it  would  be  ])erfectly  feasil)le  to  carry  the  path  down  the  bank 
and  under  the  railroad  bridg-e  in  the  creek  bed,  where  of  course 
it  would  he  flooded  whenever  the  creek  rose  but  Avould  ordi- 
narily be  entirely  convenient.  AYest  of  tbe  railroad  bridge  lies 
a  strip  of  land  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek  which  is  now  en- 
tirely isolated  between  the  stream  and  tbe  railroad.  A  portion 
of  it  next  tbe  creek  is  prettily  wooded  and  the  higher  open  part 
backing  on  tbe  railroad  is  good  for  building  purposes  if  it  could 
lie  nuide  accessible.  There  is  probably  no  market  for  it  now, 
but  is  is  to  be  considered  wbether  it  would  not  be  worth  while 
to  arrange,  after  a  few  years,  for  parking  the  banks  of  the  stream, 
putting  in  a  park  boundary  street  upon  which  lots  backing  oii 
the  railroad  could  face  and  putting  in  a  bridge  across  the  creek 
to  connect  with  a  street  leading  out  to  Pearl  Street  along  the 
line  of  Sunshine  Canon  Creek. 

This   brings  us  to   the   ]n-oblem   of   Sunshine   Canon   Creek, 

a  torrential  stream  which  has  already  played  havoc  more  than 

once  with  imin-ovements  in  its  vicin- 
SUNSHINE  CANON    CREEK       .        ,  ^        ^      ^      ^ 

ity    because   people  had  not   learned 

sufficient  respect  for  its  flood  volume  and  had  not  arranged  to 
give  it  space  enough  in  which  to  sweep  harmlessly  down  to 
Boulder  Creek.  AYe  did  not  have  time  to  study  the  problem 
carefully,  as  needs  to  be  done,  but  this  much  is  plain:  That 
the  city  ought  to  take  steps  to  lay  out  and  put  in  order  a  proper 
and  well-protected  channel  extending  from  the  wooden  culvert 
to  the  inverted  syphon  by  which  the  Farmers'  Ditch  crosses 
Sunshine  Canon  Creek  down  across  Pearl  Street  to  Boulder 
Creek,  and  that  when  such  an  open  channel  is  being  laid  out 
it  would  be  a  sensible  and  pleasing  design  to  provide  for  a  road 
and  sidewalk  on  each  side  so  that  the.  open  space  of  the  channel 
and  its  banks  may  count  as  part  of  a  street  or  parkway  instead 
of  being  wasted  in  the  back  of  a  block.  An  incidental  advan- 
tage is  that  such  a  channel  is  much  more  easily  policed  and  kept 
in  order  if  it  runs  in  the  midst  of  a  parkway  than  if  there  art- 
back  yards  abutting   directly  upon   it. 

70 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OL^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

Boyond  the  line  of  tlie  Farmers'  Ditch  and  ^loimtain  Avenue, 
as  the  valley  of  the  creek  becomes  moi'c  jjronounced  the  park 
opportunity  wliicli  it  affords  hecomes  more  s1rikin*i-.  The  pres- 
ent creek  bed  and  the  lo\\'  o-round  close  to  it  on  eitber  side  are 
a  positive  burden  and  drawback  to  the  owners  fr(nn  tlie  ])oint 
of  view  of  sub-division  into  lots,  and  they  ouglit  to  be  delighted 
to  transfer  tbem  to  the  city  to  bold  as  a  park,  over  wbicli  their 
lots  on  the  northeasterly  side  would  command  a  permanent  view 
of  the  foothills  over  a  most  charming  foreground. 

It  is  not  going  to  take  the  lot-buying  public  of  Boulder  very 
much  longer  to  realize  that  wlien  it  is  attracted  to  a  lot  on  high 

THE  REAL  ESTATE  VALUE  -^'"""'^  ^^^^'^^^^^^  "*'  the  fine  view 
OF  PERMANENT  VIEWS  commanded  thereby,  the  paying  of 
anv  extra  price  on  account  of  that  view  is  sheer  folly  if  there  is 
another  lot  just  across  the  street  on  which  the  next  purchaser  is 
certain  to  put  up  a  house  that  will  absolutely  block  the  view. 
And  per  contra,  those  few  lots  which  are  so  arranged  that  they 
have  permanent  command  of  fine  views  will  fetch  constantly 
growing  prices  with  the  growth  in  the  number  of  people  who 
appreciate  such  things  and  can  pay  for  them. 

Here  is  a  notable  case  in  point.  By  setting  apart  f(n'  park 
purposes  a   narrow  strij)   of  steep  hillside  and  a  piece  of  valley 

bottom     washed     bv     the     torrential 
A  SPECIAL  OPPORTUNITY      ^.^„,^^|^  ^f  Sunshine  Canon  Creek,  and 

by  laying  out  a  parklike  street  at  the  edge  of  the  valley,  a 
row  of  lots  can  be  obtained  on  the  upland  which  not  only  will 
have  permanent  command  of  a  view  that  will  ])ut  them  in  a  class 
apart  from  almost  all  of  the  lots  with  which  they  come  into 
market  competition,  but  will  liave  a  frontage  on  what  would 
probably  become  one  of  the  fashionable  drives.  This  valley 
parking  should  certainly  extciul  up  to  include  the  ])icturesque 
Green  Eocks  and  ultimately  something  more  than  a  narrow  road 
ought  to  come  within  public  control  in  the  further  part  of 
Sunshine  Canon. 

It  would  be  a  l)eautiful  thing  to  retain  the  whole  slo|)e  from 

71 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

the   valk'v    pnvkwa}'   deserilxnl   in   the   foregoing   up    to    the   Red 

Rocks     as     an     open     puhlie     space. 
RED  ROCKS  ^^^^^  ^^.^    doubt    very    much    whether 

the  city  would  do  wisely  to  charge  itself  with  the  double  burden 
of  paying  out  cash  for  the  market  value  of  the  land  and  depriving 
itself  of  the  tax  returns  which  Avould  result  from  the  develop- 
ment of  most  of  it  iiito  house  lots.  It  is  a.  piece  of  land  which 
is  capable  of  development  into  a  considerable  number  of  resi- 
dence lots,  of  attractive  and  valuable  kind;  but  it  is  equally 
capable  of  being  very  badly  botched  if  it  is  lotted  up  in  a 
thoughtless,  commonplace  way.  If  the  latter  is  done  the  sellers 
of  the  land  will  be  the  losers  to  some  extent,  but  the  chief  losers 
will  l)e  the  purchasers  and  the,  city  at  large  through  failing  to 
get  what  the  opportunity  entitles  them  to.  The  steep  upper  part 
of  the  slope  and  the  Red  Rocks  themselves,  together  with  the  city 
reservoir,  ought  certainly  to  become  a  public  park. 

An  opportunity  almost  equal  to  that  ^iresented  by  the  north- 
east side    of    Suiishine    Canon    between    Mountain    Avenue    and 

Mapleton  Avenue   as  just   described, 

MOUNTAIN  AVENUE  ^xhted,  and  is  not  yet  finally  lost,  in 

the  case  of  Mountain  Avenue  itself.  The  splendid  views  to  the 
south  and  southwest  from  that  street  and  from  the  houses  on  the 
north  side  of  it  are  entirely  at  th.3  mercy  of  the  owners  of  the  lots 
which  slope  steeply  down  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  Farmers' 
Ditch.  These  lots  have  not  been  .so  built  upon  as  to  obstruct  the 
view  thus  far,  because  they  are  steep,  poor  lots  upon  which  it 
would  be  relatively  costly  to  erect  houses;  but  it  is  only  a  question 
of  time  before  the  demand  for  lots  in  this  locality  will  induce 
people  to  go  to  the  expense  of  propping  up  buildings  there,  and 
then  good-bye  to  the  view.  If  it  were  only  a  matter  of  trans- 
ferring the  control  and  enjoyment  of  the  view  from  one  set  of 
house  owners  to  another  the  public  would  have  no  cause  to  worry 
about  it;  but  the  fact  is  that  tliis  process  if  it  is  allowed  to  take 
place  will  mean  that  the  public,  which  can  now  enjoy  the  viev; 
from  the  street,  would  also  be  the  loser,  and  the  command  of  the 
view  would  be  transferred  from  the  fronts  of  one  set  of  houses  to 

72 


THE  FREt)ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

the  backs  of  another  set.  Tlie  })ark  coimnissio]i  oiiglit  to  buy  or 
coiidciiin  the  hillside  lots  l)elow  the  Fanners'  Ditch  from  the  point 
where  it  crosses  Sprnce  Street  to  Avhere  it  crosses  Sunshine  Canon 
Creek,  but  the  owners  of  the  lots  north  of  ]\Iountain  Avenue  could 
well  afford  as  a  matter  of  investment  to  meet  the  whole  cost  of 
such  a  ])ark  taking  themselves  rather  tlian  let  the  situation  go 
by  default. 

In  connection  with  this  park  taking  some  intelligent  treat- 
ment of  the  margins  of  the  Farmers'  Ditch  with  a  shady  path  and 

benches   would   of   course   be  under- 
FARMERS'  DITCH  taken,  and  a  good  deal  of  skill  should 

be  utilized  to  make  this  a  pleasant  shady  spot  for  people  to  stroll 
and  sit  and  enjoy  the  view,  but  without  allowing  any  trees  to 
interfere  unduly  with  the  views  from  the  street  and  from  the 
houses  north  of  it.  This  means  careful  study  on  the  spot  and  the 
limitation  of  the  foliage  to  exactly  the  right  places.  Not  im- 
probably it  Avould  mean,  in  part,  recourse  to  systematic  pruning, 
or  to  the  use  of  a  vine-clad  arbor  or  pergola  for  shading  part  of 
the  path  instead  of  trees,  but  it  might  be  possible  to  accomplish 
the  result  by  selecting  small  trees  of  low  habit  and  placing  them 
ver}^  carefully.  Already  there  has  been  some  manipulation  of  the 
natural  growth  along  the  ditch  by  pruning,  apparently  to  improve 
views  from  houses,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  but  it  has 
neither  been  systematic  nor  agreeable  in  its  general  effect. 

The  presence  of  the  Farmers'  Ditch  is  a  very  happy  feature 
here,  as  a  part  of  a  public  promenade.  Given  sunshine  and  breeze 
and  the  wonderful  plunging  view  across  the  valley  to  rugged 
mountains  bathed  in  sunlight;  given  shade  from  the  direct  glare 
of  the  sun  and  sky,  easily  to  be  obtained  by  planting;  the  one  thing 
M'anted  to  complete  the  situation  is  Avater,  and  the  quiet  flowing 
canal  on  its  way  to  irrigate  the  fields  beyond  the  city  gives  the 
very  note  that  is  needed.  To  be  sure  its  banks  are  here  shabby 
and  neglected,  the  vegetation  is  weedy  and  an  appearance  of 
squalor  is  more  or  less  in  evidence,  so  that  a  superficial  observer 
might  turn  away  without  feeling  the  least  interest  in  the  ditch. 
But  all  the  essential  elemeiits  of  the  most  l)eautiful  scenes  of  Italv 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

arc  here,  waitinii-  only  a  little  patient,  t^killful  care  to  unite  them 
into  a  lirtle  ])ictnre  of  paradise. 

Indeed,  there  is  nearby,  although  without  the  distant  view 

and  without  the  outlook  froin  shade  into  sunlit  space  Avhich  is  the 

soul    of    this    situation,    an    example 
PLEASANT   IMPROVEMENTS         ,  .   ,  ^      ^,  ,  xi     j 

NOW  EXISTING  ALONG  THE    ^'''nfli  Suggests  the  charm  that  can 

FARMERS'  DITCH  he  found  in  the  simple  comhination 

of  the  quiet,  flowing  water  of  the  irrigating  ditch  with  a  little 
well-kept  foliage.  At  several  points  between  Spruce  Street  and 
the  Maple  ton  School  the  so-called  ditch^  in  passing  through  a 
garden,  becomes  the  central  feature  of  a  really  charming  scene. 
The  stiff  walling  of  the  banks  and  the  raising  of  the  adjacent 
ground  quite  high  above  the  water  level  makes  the  water  count 
for  less  than  it  might,  and  we  can  call  to  mind  many  more  lovely 
gardens  bordering  canals  in  European  countries  where  the  people 
have  acquired  a  greater  knack  at  such  things;  but  here  and  any- 
where a  considerable  degree  of  charm  is  felt  the  very  moment  any- 
one takes  care  of  the  borders  of  such  an  irrigating  stream  in  an 
appreciative  spirit.  The  hand  oi:  a  good  housekeeper  is  the  thing 
most  essentially  needed,  doing  away  Avith  dirt  and  slatternly  neg- 
lect, but  not  changing  everything  into  a  rigid  and  mechanical 
formalism. 

We  are  inclined  to  dwell  u])on  this  |)oint,  because  not  only 
in  the  Farmers'  Ditch  hut  in  the  many  other  irrigating  channels 
which  traverse  the  city  in  so  many  quarters  Boulder  has  what 
seems  to  us  a  veritable  treasure  of  municipal  decorations,  now  for 
the  most  part  neglected  and  defaced,  Init  all  retaining  their  essen- 
tial elements  unspoiled  and  ready  to  shed  beauty  all  about  them 
if  only  given  a  })roper  setting. 

Among  those  people  of  every  generation  and  every  race  who 
have  most  enjoyed  life  and  the  beauty  of  the  world  about  them, 
OPPORTUNITY  PRESENTED  ^'"*  especially  among  people  dwelling 
BY  THE  IRRIGATING  DITCHES  in  climates  of  sunshine,  blue  skies 
and  dry  air,  the  testimony  is  overwhelming,  wliether  we  look  to 
the  poets  and  to  literary  records  of  the  enjoyment  of  beauty,  or 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

to  painters,  or  to  >.;-ar(k'iis  tliomsulvcs;  tli;i(  li\iii,L:,'  walci',  ,i;iiiiu-ini;' 
in  the  sunlight  and  tlie  shadow,  is  ono>  oF  the  most  ro freshing', 
cheerful,  lovely  elements  that  can  he  intrcxhiced  into  any  scene. 
AYliether  it  he  spring  or  jet  or  fountain,  ])ictures(|ne  cascade  of 
smooth  overponring  of  mill-dam,  meandering  Iji'ook  or  ])rim  canaT, 
the  essential  beauty  persists  tlironghout;  and  only  the  signs  ol: 
hnman  contempt,  fonl  contamination  and  slovenly  siin'oundings, 
can  obscure  the  natural  beauty  of  water  in  the  o])en  air.  A 
thing  that  strikes  the  easterner  unaccustomed  to  the  irrigating 
ditch,  is  that  however  neglected  and  ignored  snch  a  ditch  ma}'  he 
as  to  its  banks  and  surroundings  there  is  something  about  it  rad- 
ically different  from  the  ditches  he  is  familiar  with  at  home;  a 
something  that  makes  it  far  more  attractive,  more  suggestive  of 
pleasant  possibilities.  The  feeling  is  hard  to  analyze,  but  it 
arises,  perhaps,  mahdy  from  two  causes.  First,  the  water  of  the 
ditches  is  relatively  clean  and  sparkling;  and  second,  it  is  elevated 
close  to  the  level  of  the  adjacent  ground,  or  even  above  it,  thus 
catching  the  sunlight  and  holding  the  eye,  and  expressing  the 
fact  that  it  is  cared  for  and  conveyed  as  a  thing  of  value  destined 
for  human  use,  instead  of  being  sunk  in  a  drainage  ditch  as  far 
below  the  surface  as  possible,  rejected  and  considered  only  as 
something  to  be  got  rid  of  quickly  and  com])letely.  If  the  in- 
herent beauty  of  the  water  of  the  irrigating  channels  were  sup- 
plemented by  such  treatment  of  their  immediate  borders  as  would 
remove  the  unpleasant  associations  that  now  in  many  places  attach 
to  them,  such  treatment  as  would  bring  out  and  enhance  the 
natural  associations  of  refreshment  and  abundance  that  are  in- 
separable from  them  and  would  re-enforce  their  intrinsic  charm, 
these  channels  alone  would  serve  to  make  Boulder  a  place  of  high 
civic  beauty. 

If  only  ])eople  could  be  got  to  realize  that  while  they  are 

looking  for  beauty  in  things  which'  have  no  use  except  for  dec- 

AN  AESTHETIC  orativc    purposes,    the    highest    pos- 

PREDICAMENT  sible  beauty  is  to  be  found  nine  times 

out   of  ten  in   the   most   utilitarian   things  when   ])erfected   and 

treated  as  worthy  of  respect  and  loving  care,  they  would  bo  saved 

75 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

a  vast  deal  of  extravagant  and  foolish  expenditure  Avliieh  now 
leads  to  confusion,  disharmony  and  ugliness  though  made  in  the 
vain  liope  of  achieving  beauty.  It  is  the  peculiar  difficulty  of 
such  an  awakening  to  the  value  of  beauty  in  the  scheme  of  life 
as  is  now  being  manifested  all  over  our  country,  that  people  whose 
interest  has  been  largely  concentrated  upon  utilitarian  things 
from  the  commercial  standpoint  are  apt,  when  they  do  awaken  to 
the  value  of  beauty  and  set  to  work  to  get  their  share  of  the 
enjoyment  of  it,  to  look  anywhere  else  for  it  rather  than  in  the 
familiar  things  which  they  have  always  regarded  as  of  commercial 
or  practical  interest  only,  not  at  all  realizing  that  the  lack  of 
beauty  or  thel  positive  ugliness  of  these  things  is  due  solely  to 
the  misshaping  of  them  by  their  own  narrow  commercialism  and 
that  of  others  like  them. 

"We  trust  the  good  people  of  Boulder  will  pardon  us  for  this 
preachment.  The}^  are  no  worse  sinners  than  most  of  us  in  this 
great,  prosperous,  well-meaning  nation,  where  opportunities  are 
so  numerous  that  we  spend  all  our  energies  trying  to  grasp  more 
of  them  than  we  can  hold  and  so  have  no  time  left  in  wliieh  really 
to  live.  It  is  merely  that  a  person  is  more  vividly  struck  by 
examples  of  foolish  Avaste  of  a  kind  new  to  him  than  by  those  to 
M'liich  he  has  Ijecome  accustomed;  so  when  Boulder  is  visited  by 
an  eastern  stranger  who  has  an  eye  for  beauty  and  some  acquain- 
tance with  the  use  to  which  water  is  put  in  the  gardens  and  cities 
of  older  countries  lie  cannot  fail  to  be  strikingly  impressed  with 
the  neglect  of  what  seems  to  him  an  extraordinary  opportunity 
for  civic  beauty. 

There  are  several  canals  in  which  the  city  has  a  shareholder's 
interest  in  addition  to  its  powers  of  genera]   control,  and  along 

HOW  TO  GET  PARK  VALUE       ^^^^   ^'^^^^^^   ^^   "^^^^^   ^^^   ^^^^^^   ^^^^   ^^^^ 
FROM  THE  DITCHES  has  a  right-of-wa}'.     Many  indeed  are 

Avithin  the  limits  of  streets  or  pul:)lic  alleys,  already  adequate  in 
width  or  capable  of  being  widened  at  slight  expense  so  as  to  pro- 
vide the  essential  elements  for  the  public  enjoyment  of  the  oppor- 
tunity Avhich  the  waterway  presents. 

What  are  those  essentials? 

76 


THE  FRED'ERICK  LAW  OL^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

First,  convenient  pro\ision  for  the  ])iil)]i('  to  pass  or  to  stop 
\vlio]'e  it  can  enjo^-  the  opportunit}^  This  may  mean  no  more 
than  the  roadway  and  sidewalks  of  a  street  within  wliich  the 
waterway  occurs,  or  even  a  hridge  carrying  some  street  over  a 
waterway  in  sncli  a  manner  that  those  crossing  it  can  get  a  pleas- 
ant view  over  a  rail  or  parapet  designed  to  present  the  view  to 
the  hest  advantage.  Or  it  may  mean  a  special  path  running  along 
near  the  water  Avith  occasional  benches  at  the  more  inviting 
spots;  and  from  tliat  anything  up  to  summer-houses  and  refresh- 
ment booths  and  concert  groves  along  the  banks  of  waterways, 
with  all  of  the  incidental  provisions  for  public  comfort  and  con- 
venience that  attend  upon  public  parks.  The  only  vital  thing 
in  this  regard  is  that  convenient,  safe  and  decent  provision  be 
made  in  some  manner  for  the  coming  and  going  and  pausing  of 
the  people  where  they  can  enjoy  the  beauty  that  is  offered.  Civic 
beauty  is  worthless,  even  if  it  can  be  said  to  exist  at  all,  where 
it  is  not  seen  and  enjoyed  by  the  people. 

Second,  offensive,  foul  and  ugly  things,  where  they  come  into 
view,  should  be  done  away  with,  made  over,  or  obscured  by  foli- 
age or  otherwise,  so  far  as  possible;  a  general  impression  that  the 
place  is  regarded  by  someone  as  worth  caring  for,  as  expressed  by 
the  fact  that  it  is  always  swept  and  garnished,  has  a  great  deal 
to  do  with  the  extent  to  which  others  will  care  for  it  and  be  able 
to  appreciate  it. 

Third,  agreeable  scenes  and  compositions  should  be  noted 
and  enhanced,  or  created,  mainly  by  such  control  of  light  and 
shade  and  of  enclosing  and  framing  masses  as  can  readily  be 
effected  through  conti-olling  the  disposition  of  the  foliage  of  trees 
and  buslies.  Along  many  of  the  ditches  that  run  through  alleys 
or  on  private  rights-of-way  there  are  many  trees  and  bushes 
already  present  in  combination  with  the  water  and  the  sky  very 
pretty  scenes  and  which  need  only  to  be  supplemented  by  a  good 
path  and  a  few  benches  and  an  impression  of  good  order  and  so- 
licitous appreciation  to  become  ready-made  park  spots  of  the 
highest  value.  In  many  other  places  judicious  removals  and  a 
very  moderate    amount    of    supplementary    planting    would    soon 

77 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

bring  similar  results.     In  otbcr  places  the  foliage  element  is  still 
to  be  su])])lie(l  by  planting. 

Fourth,  in  places  a  certain  amount  of  manipulation  of  the 
edges  of  the  channel  or  of  the  adjacent  surface  of  the  ground  may 
be  called  for  in  order  to  harmonize  these  elements  with  the  gen- 
eral effect  of  the  scene  of  which  they  form  a  part.  Fortunately 
the  volume  of  water  is  comparatively  constant  and  its  surface  is 
normally  but  little  below  the  level  of  the  banks,  so  that  the  chan- 
nels Just  as  they  now  are  give  that  ever-delightful  impression  of 
brimming  abundance  and  of  intimacy  of  relation  Ijetween  the  sur- 
face of  the  water  and  that  of  the  ground.  Generally  speaking, 
the  more  closely  on  a  level  they  can  be  and  the  more  intimate 
their  relation  the  bappier  mil  be  the  result.  Where  the  general 
impression  of  the  scene  is  one  of  formality,  of  conspicuous  reg- 
ularity of  order  in  its  dominant  features,  the  margin  of  the  water 
may  need  some  rectification  to  bring  it  into  harmony  with  this 
impression;  where  the  general  effect  is  notably  picturesque  and 
informal  it  may  be  that  some  inharmoniously  formal  lines  in  the 
canal  could  be  to  advantage  modified  or  obscured;  not  infrequent- 
ly, especially  where  a  path  comes  next  to  the  ditch,  it  may  be 
desirable  to  introduce  a  simple  curbing  or  a  piece  of  wall  (mostly 
below  the  water  level)  to  hold  the  earth  from  crumbling  or  slump- 
ing. But  generally  speaking  it  is  better  to  avoid  the  use  of  walls 
or  banks  which  would  have  the  effect  of  depressing  the  water 
below  the  adjacent  ground  l)y  more  than  a  very  small  fraction  of 
the  width  of  tlie  stream.  If  this  mistake  is  avoided  the  water  will 
be  all  right  anyhow,  and  it  will  bo  just  as  well  to  do  nothing  to 
its  margin  except  what  is  really  needed  as  a  practical  matter  for 
the  proper  maintenance  of  the  ditch.  In  the  case  of  the  little 
ditches  that  ruii  along  in  the  parking  of  so  many  of  the  streets 
in  the  easterly  part  of  the  town,  the  boards  which  form  their  sides 
rise  just  to  the  level  of  the  ground  and  are  generally  overhung 
with  grass  that  gets  a  delightful,  fresh  richness  from  the  water. 
The  effect  is  charming  and  it  would  seem  a  pity  to  substitute  a 
conspicuous  and  rigidly  formal  curbing  either  of  concrete  or  stone 
and  the  substitution  of  a  perfectly  smooth  bottom  for  one  made  of 

78 


THE  FRED'ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

rough  nobl)''Jstonc.s  takes  out  an  t'lcmcut  of  interest  and  heauty  Tor 
no  sufficient  reason,  for  tlie  sparkle  and  dance  of  the  water  as  it 
runs  over  tlie  cobbles  is  ]:)art  of  its  life  and  c  liarni.  The  boards 
must  give  w-ax  for  sonietliing  more  })ei'niauent,  certainly,  because 
their  maintenance  is  troublesome  and  expensive.  But  why  not 
substitute  for  theni  thin  slabs  of  local  sandstone  of  irregulai' 
lengths  set  at  the  same  lieight  as  the  ])resejit  edgings  so  that 
the  grass  A^'ill  overgrow  thein  somewhat  as  it  now  does  the  plank? 
And  why  not  use  the  same  old  cobble  i)avcment  for  the  bottom? 
Of  tlie  large]-  \vater\\-ays  the  Beasley  Ditch  was  the  onlv  one 
of  which,  we  nuide  a  complete  examination  throughout  its  length 

within   the  city.     AVith  the  possible 
BEASLEY  DITCH  exception   of   one   or  two   short   pas- 

sages we  found  that  it  would  be  possible  to  convert  this  ditch  and 
its  margins  into  a  very  attractive  public  promenade  at  surprisingly 
small  expense.  From  12th  Street  to  19th  Street,  for  example,  it 
runs  mostly  through  a  public  alley  not  used  as  a  thoroughfare  for 
other  purposes,  and  by  the  acquisition  of  a  few  bits  of  vacant  land, 
the  opening  of  a  good  path,  and  a  small  amount  of  thinning  and 
planting,  the  thing  Avould  be  done;  while  Just  north  of  21st 
Street  the  ditch  passes  through  or  borders  a  piece  of  land  excel- 
lently adapted  for  local  park  purposes  and  can  be  made  to  add 
much  to  its  park  value  if  acquired.  It  is  however,  useless  to  dis- 
cuss these  possibilities  in  detail  in  view  of  the  proposition  since 
called  to  our  attention  for  a  great  increase  in  the  capacity  of  the 
Beasley  Ditch.  This  will  involve,  of  course,  an  entire  change  of 
conditions  all  along  the  route  and  radical  changes  in  many 
streets.  The  matter  should  be  taken  up  by  the  city  and  the  pro- 
moters of  the  project  in  a  spirit  of  intelligent  co-operation  and 
a  well-conceived  plan  should  be  adopted  that  will  take  into 
account  the  hydraulic  requirements,  the  result  upon  the  street 
system,  and  the  opportunities  for  public  recreation  afforded  by 
the  banks  of  the  canal  if  properly  utilized.     One  suggestion  which 

we  were  prepared    to    offer    in    any 

COUNTY  ROAD  BOULEVARD  +11  •  , 

case   a])pears   stnl   more   appropruite 

in  view  of  the  probable  changes  in  the  Beasley  Ditch.     It  is  that 
in  widening  the  County  Eoad  and  extending  it  north  from  Pearl 

79 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

street  past  the  east  end  of  Lovers'  Hill  as  a  great^  cross-town 
thoroughfare,  the  Beasley  Ditch,  so  far  as  it  occupies  the  line  of 
the  street,  be  treated  as  a  formal  ornamental  canal  or  basin  run- 
ning down  the  center  of  the  boulevard,  with  a  fairly  wide  border 
of  grass  on  either  hand  and  flanking  rows  of  trees  on  the  edges 
of  the  two  roadways  that  would  border  this  parking. 

We  cannot  too  urgently  point  out  the  facts  that  on  the  one 
hand  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  is  the  region  where  the  topog- 

NEEDS  OF  EASTERN  PART       ''''^^^y     "^^"^^^^^     P^^^^^^^     ^^^^     ^'^^^'^^*' 
OF  CITY  most  convenient  and  most  inexpen- 

sive urban  development,  where  transportation  facilities  by  road- 
way and  by  trolley  can  be  most  easily  and  cheaply  perfected  and 
extended,  and  where,  by  consequence,  is  likely  to  occur  the  prin- 
cipal development  of  dwelling  places  for  people  of  small  or  mod- 
erate means,  and  that  on  the  other  hand  the  continued  attract- 
iveness of  this  flat  region  is  closely  dependent  upon  the  mainte- 
nance of  public  open  spaces,  sufficient  to  preserve  the  views  of 
the  mountains  and  to  afford  the  sunny  openings  with  contrasting 
shady  or  sheltered  promenades  which  are  requisite  to  the  full 
enjoyment  of  the  climate  and  which  are  absolutely  unattainable 
on  fifty-foot  lots  occupying  level  ground.  The  need  has  not  yet 
been  strongly  felt,  partly  because  there  are  so  many  vacant  lots 
scattered  among  those  already  occupied  or  at  least  within  easy 
reach,  and  partly  because  people  have  not  thought  much  about  the 
basic  physical  advantages  which  make  Boulder  a  better  place  to 
live  in  than  other  cities  of  the  same  size  and  tax  rate.  They  must 
think  about  them  and  preserve  them  if  they  would  not  kill  the 
goose  that  lays  their  golden  eggs. 

The  County  Eoad  boulevard  suggested  above  and  the  pro- 
posed parkway  along  Boulder  Creek  would  be  good  examples  of 
the  sort  of  thing  that  is  needed,  but  a  considerable  number  of 
local  parks  and  squares  ought  also  to  be  acquired. 


80 


Parks  and  Other  Public  Open  Spaces 

Xot  only  tlie  eastern  part  of  tlic  cil}'  Init  all  parts  ought  to 
be  provided  with  local  pai'ks,  some  to  be  used  primarily  for  play- 
groinids,  others  mainly  or  wholly  for  more  sedate  recreation,  all 
contributing  to  the  agreeableness  of  the  town. 

Every  home  in  the  city  ought  to  be  within  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  of  a  good  pla3'gronnd  and  of  a  spot  where  older  people 

THE  PEOPLE  AND  THE        ''"^^  ^^'^^^'  ^^^''^^'  t'-^^'^'^'i^G  or  their  ease 
CITY  PLAN  in  the  Open  air  under  pleasant  sur- 

roundings and  in  the  preseiice  of  a  fine  view  or  at  least  of  such 
breadth  of  sunlighted  open  space  as  is  wholly  beyond  the  means 
of  most  to  attain  on  their  own  property.  The  man  who  can  af- 
ford to  o\ni  a  couple  of  acres  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  or  one 
of  the  liniited  number  of  sites  on  the  commanding  eminences  near 
it  and  who  caii  pay  for  the  relatively  high  cost  of  the  roads  or 
streets  required  to  make  such  sites  available,  and  who  can  keep 
a  carriage  or  an  automobile  to  take  him  back  and  forth,  is  able 
to  look  out  for  himself.  If  he  fails  to  make  intelligent  use  of  the 
opportunities  which  Boulder  jiresents  for  the  enjoyment  of  life, 
it  is  due  mainly  to  his  own  lack  of  appreciation  and  initiative. 
But  for  the  majority  of  people,  whose  means  are  limited,  who 
have  neither  the  financial  strength  nor  the  physical  strength  and 
mental  aggressiveness  that  Avould  enable  them  to  seize  for  their 
own  exclusive  use  the  means  of  enjoying  adequately  those  precious 
commodities,  air  and  sunlight,  and  that  subtle  promoter  of  health 
and  cheerfulness,  the  sense  of  spaciousness  and  freedom — for 
these,  the  great  body  of  the  citizens,  a  co-operative,  democratic 
method  of  attaining  these  ends  must  be  sought. 

The  standard  house  lot  in  Boulder  appears  to  be  50  feet  wide 

by  about  150  feet  deep,  although  a  tendency  is  apparent  through 

the  uncontrolled  operation  of  supply 
BACK  YARDS  VS.  PARKS         .^^^^^   ^|^^^^^^^^^|   ^^   ^.^^^^^^^     ^^^^     ^-^^     ^f 

lots  as  well  as  the  width  of  streets.  To  reduce  the  depth  of  the 
lots  from  150  to  125  feet  would  mean,  even  if  there  were  no  cor- 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

responding  reduction  in  width,  that  l-(i  of  the  usable  ground 
after  substracting  streets  woukl  he  left  over.  If  this  amount  ot 
space  were  set  apart  for  joint  use  in  the  form  of  playgrounds, 
sc[uares,  and  local  parks  it  would  mean  that  every  half  mile 
square  of  the  city  would  liave  not  less  than  16  to  20  acres  of 
public  grounds.  Xo  one  who  considers  this  proposition  for  a 
moment  can  doubt  that  the  average  householder  with  a  150-foot 
lot  is  in  no  such  enviable  position,  with  his  extra  25  feet  at  the 
back  end  of  his  back  yard,  all  shut  in  by  other  ^^eople's  houses, 
as  he  woukl  be  Avitb  a  lot  measuring  50  x  125  feet  and  the  use 
of  a  big,  safe  playground  for  his  children  within  less  tlian  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  of  his  house  and  the  use  of  pleasant  parks  and 
squares  close  at  hand  on  every  side  of  a  size  sufficient  to  com- 
mand the  beautiful  views  which  he  is  now  unable  to  see  to  ad- 
vantage unless  he  goes  entirely  outside  of  the  built-up  city. 

The  point  is  worth  pausing  over  a  moment.     A  given  tract 
of  land  half  a  mile  square,  provided  with  streets  occupying  a  third 

of  tlie  total  area  will  subdivide  in 
DEEP  LOTS  AND  NO  PARKS  (-^^c)  lots  of  tlie  standard  Boulder  size 
of  50  X  150  feet.  In  such  a  district,  when  the  lots  are  all  occu- 
pied, there  will  be  no  playgrounds  for  the  children  except  the 
streets  and  the  cramped  back  yards,  there  will  l)e  no  parks  or 
squares  or  other  open  ground  whatever,  no  views  of  mountain  or 
plain  except  an  occasional  glimpse  between  the  chimney  pots.  If 
on  the  same  tract,  with  the  same  area  in  streets  the  same  number 

SHALLOWER  LOTS  PLUS        °^'   ^^<^"^^«   '^'^'^^*^^   ^^^   ^^^^*^*^^   ""'^  '^°^' 
PARKS  50  by  125  feet  in  size,  there  would  be 

left  over  17.7  acres  for  purposes  of  public  recreation.  This 
would  be  more  than  enough,  if  well  arranged,  to  assure  for  all 
time  that  every  boy  and  young  man  who  will  ever  live  in  that 
district  shall  have  opportunit}'  and  inducement  near  his  own  home 
to  play  baseball  and  all  the  other  vigorous  outdoor  games  that 
make  for  a  sound  body,  a  clean  mind  and  a  healthy  nervous  sys- 
tem^ that  space  could  be  set  apart  for  a  swimming  pool  to  be 
put  in  operation  whenever  the  neighborhood  or  the  city  might  feel 
disjiosed  to  pay  for  constinicting  it  and  suj^plying  the  water;  that 

82 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

tlio  little  chiMrcMi  could  have  a  slialloAV  pool  of  their  own  with 
a  clean,  sandy  beach  and  bottom  where  thc)'  could  wade  and  play 
with  toy  boats  and  make  sand  pies  and  forts  as  well  as  if  they 
were  to  be  taken  tlunisands  of  miles  to  the  ocean  l)each  itself; 
that  for  all  time  thc  dwellers  in  that  district  would  have  only  to 
walk  two  or  three  blocks  or  so  to  find  a  pleasant  o]ien  spot  with 
shady  jiaths  and  l)enches  for  summer  nsc,  looking  out  npon  a 
cheerful  prospect,  with  sheltered  sunny  nooks  and  covered  benches 
for  the  season  when  cold  or  driving-  wind  makes  walking  in  the 
streets  unpleasant  and  tends  to  keep  thc  people  closely  housed. 

Again  we  say  that  no  sane  man  can  doubt  thc  advantages  of 
the  latter  method  of  subdivision,  with  its  slightly  smaller  lots 
supplemented  bv  parks,  if  be  will  take  note  of  the  trifling  addi- 
tional use  which  thc  average  householder  derives  from  the  deeper 
lots  of  the  old  part  of  the  town  as  compared  with  the  shallower 
lots  in  other  localities.     That  the  average  householder  is  reason- 

LOTS  ARE  GETTING  '^^^^-^   ^^^^^  content  with  the  shallower 

SHALLOWER  lot,  even  Avhere  he  gets  no  parks  at 

all  in  compensation,  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  he  does  not  hesitate 
to  buy  the  shallower  lots.  He  is  evidently  not  seriously  influ- 
enced in  selecting  his  abode  by  the  fact  that  lots  in  the  University 
Terrace  Subdivision  are  nearly  20  per  cent,  shallower  than  the 
lots  in  East  Boulder. 

l)ut  it  the  lots  ai'c  being  made  shallower  why  does  thc  house- 
holder get  no  benefit  of  the  saving  in  the  form  of  piddic  recrea- 

BUT  NO  PARKS  ARE  MADE     ^'^^^    grounds?      Simply    because    he 
FROM  THE  SAVINGS  docs   not   insist   that   his   agent    and 

representative,  the  City  Government,  shall  look  out  for  his  obvi- 
ous interests  in  due  season,  and  make  the  laying  out  of  a  reason- 
able percentage  of  public  recreation  groiind  as  much  a  matter  of 
course  in  thc  acceptance  of  a  new  subdivision  as  the  laying  out 
of  streets.  They  should  both  be  regarded  as  conditions  precedent 
to  the  city's  furnishing  the  means  for  exploiting  the  land  into 
building  lots  by  providing  water,  sewerage,  street  lighting,  polic- 
ing and  other  urban  advantages.  The  burden  of  the  cost  of  set- 
ting apart  such  local    recreation    grounds    should    normally    fall 

83 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

upon  the  districts  particularly  benefited.  It  may  fairly  be  placed 
npon  the  land-owners;  who  have  the  option  of  reeonping  them- 
selves for  the  A'alue  of  the  land  thus  devoted  to  neighborhood  uses 
either  by  dividing  their  remaining  land  into  smaller  lots,  made 
acceptable  by  the  presence  of  the  parks  and  playgrounds,  or  by 
charging  higher  prices  for  the  standard  size  of  lot,  the  choice  de- 
pending on  the  demands  of  the  market. 

Under  the  jiresent  system  the  lots  are  being  made  smaller, 
but  the  space  thus  saved  is  used  not  for  parks  but  only  for  more 
lots;  to  the  manifest  detriment  of  the  conditions  of  life  in  the 
city;  and  to  whose  benefit? 

Not  to  the  land-owners  as  a  Avliole,  certainly;  for  since  the 
condition  of  the  individual  householder  is  plainly  less  satisfactory 

WHO  BENEFITS  FROM  ''''^^'   ^^'^    ^''''^^'''    ^""^^    ^^^    ''''^^'''''^ 

ILLIBERAL  SUBDIVISIONS?      the  local  parks,  it  simply  means  that 

the  demand  for  lots  in  Boulder  will  be  less  keen  than  would  other- 
wise be  the  case  and  the  value  per  lot  will  average  lower;  which 
is  only  another  way  of  saying  that  the  land  value  per  family  of 
residents  will  be  less,  or  th.at  the  total  land  value  of  the  city  per 
thousand  of  population  will  be  less.  Incidentally  its  growth  will 
be  slower  because  of  its  lesser  attractiveness.  With  a  slower 
growth  of  population  and  a  lower  total  of  land  values  per  thou- 
sand of  population  it  is  obvious  that  the  less  attractive  method  of 
development  into  which  Boulder  is  now  drifting  tends  to  retard 
the  growth  of  the  total  land  values  in  geometric  ratio. 

AVho  does  benefit? 

No  process  goes  on  actively  under  the  pressure  of  uncon- 
trolled commercial  motives  unless  somebody  sees  a  profit  in  it. 

The  immediate  and  obvious  results  of  curtailing  at  every 
possible  point  the  amount  of  city  land  used  per  family,  in  lot  and 

HOW  THE  PRESENT  SYSTEM    ^^^"^^^    ^^^^^^   P^^'^^  •''^'^   otherwise,   is   to 

WORKS  make  a  city  more  compact,  to  make 

it  spread  more   slowh-,  and  to  concentrate  the  population,   and 

therefore  the  total  land  values  Avhich  arise  from  the  demand  for 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

housing  spacCj  upon  a  more  linulod  area.  If  tlio  owner  of  a  tract 
of  untie vcloped  land  on  the  immediate  outskirts  of  the  eit^-'s 
growth;  by  means  of  laj'ing  out  as  narrow  streets  and  as  small 
lots  as  he  is  able  to  market,  and  by  means  of  omitting  from  his 
subdivision  aiiy  squares  or  parks  or  other  provision  for  public 
recreation,  can  su(rceed  in  concentrating  upon  his  land  say  5  per 
cent,  of  the  city's  total  growth  in  population  during  the  succeed- 
ing decade,  together  Avith  a  correspondingly  large  share  in  the 
city's  total  increment  in  land  values  during  the  same  period,  and 
if  he  can  sell  out  and  realize  upon  this  increment,  it  is  obvious 
he  is  better  off.  commercially,  than  if  a  more  enlightened  pul)lic 
policy  controlling  the  method  of  subdivision  had  led  to  a  25  per 
cent,  greater  increase  in  the  city's  total  land  values  but  prevented 
him  from  gobbling  more  than  3  per  cent,  of  it. 

In  other  words,  under  tlie  present  happy-go-lucky  method  of 
commercial  exploitation  of  the  increment  in  land  values,  the  fev\^ 

AN  UNCONTROLLED  l^'^^P^^   ^^'^'°  happen,    by    chance    or 

MONOPOLY  foresight,    to    be    possessed    at    any 

given  time  of  Die  lands  on  the  edge  of  urban  growth  are  prac- 
tically permitted  to  establish  an  undesirable  density  of  urban 
development  at  their  own  discretion  and  for  their  own  immediate 
financial  benefit,  at  the  direct  expense  of  all  the  other  land-owners 
in  the  city,  who  would  of  course  be  the  gainers  by  a  more  widely 
diffused  increment. 

There  is  nothing  essentially  unfair  in  the  game  of  land  spec- 
ulation, and  the  biggest  profits  in  the  long  run  go  to  the  shrewd- 
LAND  SPECULATION  A  FAIR  ^^^  and  most  expert  players;  the  val- 
GAIVIE  FOR  THE  PLAYERS  ues  of  undeveloped  land  on  the  out- 
skirts of  a  city  are  market  values  which  take  into  account  the 
chances  each  piece  offers  for  scooping  some  of  the  "unearned 
increment;''  so  that  there  is,  perhaps,  no  great  need  to  worry  over 
the  fact  that  the  present  system  enables  the  skillful  players  to 
make  a  profit  at  the  expense  of  those  who  are  so  unfortunate  as 
to  be  holding  property  that  lies  either  outside  of  the  zone  of 
sharply  rising  prices  or  inside  of  that  zone  in  the  district  of 
improved  property  and  relatively  stable  values. 

85 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

But  it  is  mauii'estly  to  the  disadvantage  of  tlie  coinmunit^v  at 
large,  to  tlie  majority  of    land-owiiers    in    tlie    long    run,    and 
BUT  THE  PUBLIC  SUFFERS     ^^"ipl^'^ticallv    to    every    wage-earner 
IN  THE  END  and  every  family  dependent  u})on  a 

salary  or  upon  an  income  derived  from  ]ion-spectilative  invest- 
ments, tliat  the  player?  of  the  game  of  land  speculation,  interesting 
and  legitimate  though  it  be,  should  Ije  permitted  to  inake  the  city 
less  pleasant,  convenient  and  healthful  to  live  in,  and  of  a  slower 
growth  and  smaller  total  valuation  than  it  can  perfectly  well  be 
made  if  the  community  simply  insists  on  such  a  provision  of 
streets  and  such  a  ju-ovision  of  ^lublic  recreation  grounds  and  such 
other  arrangements  as  will  give  the  best  practicable  results  from 
the  point  of  view  of  those  who  have  got  to  live  in  the  city  after 
it  is  built.  ^Ve  are  not  here  concerned  with  any  socialistic  proj- 
ects for  approi^riating  the  "unearned  increment''  tn  the  people. 
As  we  have  previously  pointed  out  the  total  land  values,  and 
therefore  tlie  total  '"unearned  increment''  passing  into  the  hands 
of  land-owners,  v.'ould  be  larger  in  case  there  were  an  adequate 
allowance  of  park  area  than  without  it.  What  we  are  concerned 
THE  PUBLIC  MUST  PROTECT  ^^'ith  is  such  action  l)y  the  community 
ITSELF  AND  THE  LIBERAL  -ig  ^vill  result  in  the  invariable  set- 
LAND  OWNERS  BY  CONTROL-    ^.  .        ,.    .,         i      •      ii 

LING    THE    CHARACTER    OF  tmg  apart   ot   the   desirable  propor- 

SUBDIVISIONS  tion     of     public     open     spaces     as  a 

necessaiy  incident  of  the  subdivision  of  land  and  thus 
remove  the  pi'essure  under  which  an  illiberal  and  short- 
sighted 2^olic'y  is  forced,  as  a  ])lain  matter  of  business, 
upon  the  promoters  who  now  determine  the  layout  of 
subdivisions.  It  is  possible  that  such  action  might  tend  to  reduce 
the  purely  speculative  profit  in  putting  lots  upon  the  market, 
and  it  might  be  expected  to  arouse  opposition  from  those  who 
are,  or  who  think  they  are,  partienlarly  skillful  in  the  speculative 
game:  but  for  the  main  body  of  real  estate  owners  as  well  as  for 
all  the  rest  of  the  community  such  action  Avould  be  distinctly 
advantageous. 

What  does  such  a  public  policy  involve?     Briefly,  that  in  or 
for  every  neighborhood  or  district  which  is  subdivided  and  added 

86 


THE  FRED'ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

to  tlie  city  a  certain  inininniin  per  ccMitagc  sliall  l)c  set  apart  for 
|ml)lic  recreation  grounds.  What  tliis  niiniimiiii  sliouM  l)e  we 
will  discnss  later.  The  method  of  setting  it  apart,  in  the  case  of 
a  considerable  subdivision,  or  district  under  a  single  ownership 
would  normally  be  dedication,  as  in  the  case  of  streets;  but  in 
the  case  of  a  subdivision  owned  by  a  number  of  different  parties 
the  city  might  have  to  purchase  or  condemn  the  necessary  tracts 
and  assess  the  cost  of  them  upon  the  whole  district  benefitted. 
In  districts  already  fully  subdivided  and  largely  occupied  a  sim- 
ilar method  may  be  followed  except  that  since  the  whole  city  is 
short  of  local  })arks  it  would  be  fair  to  charge  a  part  or  the  whole 
of  the  cost  in  such  cases  to  the  general  fund. 

As  to   the  selection  of  the  areas   to  be  set  apart  for  local 
park  purposes,  it  is  of  prime  importance  that    they    should    be 
SELECTION  OF  LOCAL         equitaldy  distributed,  and  preferably 
PARK  AREAS  SO    that    no    neighborhood    will    be 

more  than  about  a  (piarter  of  a  mile  from  the  areas  that  serve  it. 
AVith  the  exception  of  certain  special  sites  to  l)e  mentioned  later 
which  have  peculiar  advantages  for  certain  j^ark  purposes,  the 
chief  ]3oints  to  be  considered  in  selecting  land  for  local  parks  are 
cheapness,  and  accessibility  to  t\w  people  who  Avill  use  them. 
The  best  plan,  always  assuming  the  necessary  funds  to  be  avail- 
able, is  first  to  decide  upon  the  general  locality  within  which  the 
local  park  is  needed,  to  examine  carefully  the  assessed  valuations 
of  property  within  the  locality  and  to  select  (tentatively)  one 
or  more  sites  which  seem  promising  as  to  location  and  cheapness. 
The  second  step  is  for  the  commission  to  obtain  options  on  such 
of  the  lands  within  the  limits  of  the  tentative  site  or  sites  as 
can  be  ]nit  under  favorable  options.  The  third  step  is  to  ask 
publicly  for  the  tender  of  any  lands  within  the  locality  for  park 
purposes  and  to  hold  ])ul)lic  hearings  thereon;  and  the  final  step 
is.  in  the  light  ol'  all  the  information  thus  secured,  to  select  defi- 
nitely the  site  and  boundaries  of  the  park  or  playgrouiul  and 
take  the  land  bv  condemnation  proceedings.  The  land  taken  wiU 
ordinarily  consist  in  whole  or  in  part  of  tracts  upon  which  the 
commission  has  obtained  options  or  public  tenders  of  sale  at  7'ea- 

87 


BOULDER   CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

sonable  prices  and  for  such  lands  it  can  settle  at  once  at  the 
agreed  price,  v.hile  the  price  of  other  lots  required  to  secure 
proper  boundaries  Avill  be  determined  under  condemnation  pro- 
ceedings either  l)_y  agreement  or  before  a  jury.  It  is  far  better 
to  i^roceed  in  this  Avay  than  to  buy  or  accept  certain  pieces  of  land, 
no  matter  how  favorable  the  terms  may  be,  and  subsequently 
acquire  adjacent  pieces  for  the  rectification  of  boundaries  or  com- 
pletion of  the  requisite  area;  because  the  ver)^  establishment  of 
a  park  renders  the  adjacent  land  more  valuable  at  once,  and  if 
the  city  buys  park  land  piecemeal  it  has  to  pa}^  in  the  later  pur- 
chases an  increased  price  due  simply  to  its  having  previously 
started  to  establish  a  park  in  the  neighborhood.  The  condem- 
nation process,  preceded  by  obtaining  options  where  possible, 
takes  all  the  land  at  one  and  the  same  instant  and  at  the  value 
of  land  in  a  district  which  has  no  parks. 

As  to  the  proportionate  extent  of  local  parks,  we  have  seen 
that  the  reduction  of  lot  depths  from  150  to  125  feet  and  the  use 

^^^^1^.^  QP  LOCAL  PARK      ^^  ^^^*^  ^^^^^"^"^  ^'^^'^  saved  out  of  the  lots 
AREAS  for  parks  and  squares  would  give  10 

to  12  per  cent,  of  the  total  city  area  in  local  parks  (depending 
upon  the  ju'oportion  of  the  total  area  occupied  by  streets.)  Five 
per  cent,  has  been  considered  a  reasonable  minimum  allowance  in 
some  large  cities^  but  no  positive  rule  can  be  laid  doAvn.  Perhaps 
as  much  as  Ave  can  say  is  that  less  than  5  per  cent,  is  generally 
inadequate  and  that  much  more  than  15  per  cent,  in  small  local 
parks,  except  under  peculiar  circumstances,  is  apt  to  imply  a  need- 
lessly dispersed,  and  therefore  costly,  urban  development. 

Since  in  general  the  selection  of  local  park  lands  should  be 
determined  mainly  by  considerations  of  price  it  is  inexpedient  for 

us  to  make  any  definite  recommend- 
SPECIFIC  PARK  SITES  ^^^^^^^  except  in  case  of  certain  sites 
l^ossessing  peculiar  advantages  for  park  purposes  in  proportion  to 
their  apparent  market  value  as  real  estate.  Of  these,  Ave  have 
referred  to  three  pieces  in  connection  with  the  discussion  of 
AA'aterAvays.  One  is  the  vacant  land  on  the  south  side  of  Boulder 
Creek  just  east  of  the  12th  Street  lots,  and  another  is  the  vacant 

88 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

meadow  lying  Letween  the  creek  and  tlie  Liiieolii  School.  JJoth 
of  these  are  valuahle  for  landsea])e  j>iirjio.-ch  and  as  playgi-ouiids 
and  they  are  well  distributed. 

The  third  is  the  west  half  of  the  block  lying  between  Nine- 
teenth Street  and  the  line  of  Twenty-First  Street.  This  piece  is 
traversed  and  bordered  by  the  Beasley  Ditch,  and  the  water,  with 
the  trees  that  occupy  its  l)anks  in  part,  gives  a  good  start  toward 
making  a  pleasant  little  park.  If  the  three  inexpensive  houses 
on  Water  Street  south  of  the  ditch  are  acquired  it  would  be  pos- 
sible to  form  an  open  playground  of  more  than  two  acres  in  extent, 
surrounded  by  a  shady  walk  along  the  ditch  and  along  the  sur- 
rounding streets.  Avith  an  existing  grove  at  the  northwest  corner 
and  a  small  separate  playground  for  little  children  in  the  space 
between  the  ditch  and  Nineteenth  Street.  Even  if  the  house 
lots  on  Nineteenth  and  ^Vater  Street  were  omitted  the  vacant 
land  alone  would  make  a  good  though  very  limited  local  park. 
Ajjart  from  the  park  value  which  attaches  to  the  water  of  the 
Beasley  Ditch  and  to  the  grove  of  trees,  the  chief  advantage  of 
this  tract  is  that  it  is  the  nearest  considerable  piece  of  vacant 
land  to  the  High  School  and  the  Jefferson  School.  It  is  within 
a  short  couple  of  blocks  of  those  two  schools,  which  are  urgently 
in  need  of  playground  space. 

In  connection  Avith  Boulder  Creek  we  have  called  attention 

to  the  importance  of  preserving  public  access  east  of  Seventeenth 

Street  to  the  edge  of  the  hluff  that 
LOVERS'  HILL  ^-^.^^^j.^    ^1^^    g^^^^l^    ^-^-^^    ^f    ^1^^    ^^^^ 

and  commands  such  fine  views  over  the  city.  North  of  the  valley 
a  similar  sitmition  is  presented  by  Lovers'  Hill.  This  mesa,  if  it 
is  proper  so  to  call  it,  is  divided  into  a  western  and  an  eastern  part 
by  a  notch,  through  which  Twentieth  Street  makes  its  twisting 
way.  The  eastern  part  has  one  house  upon  its  southern  edge, 
reached  by  a  rather  precipitous  approach  from  the  south.  The 
western  part,  though  platted  (on  paper)  into  streets  and  lots,  is 
wholly  vacant  and  is  being  slowly  eaten  away  from  the  northwest 
by  the  brick  M'orks  situated  at  its  base. 

To  those  citizens  of  Boulder  who  are  not  familiar  with  the 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

y'lLW  we  urgently  locommend  a  stroll,  some  pleasant  Sunday,  along 
the  top  of  Lovers"  Hill,  both  parts,  from  Fourteenth  Street  to  the 
County  Eoad  iiear  Twenty-Fifth  Street.  The  vie\y,  especially 
toward  sunset  time,  is  one  that  cannot  he  matched  in  man}'  thou- 
sand miles  of  traveling. 

I'he  situation  is  a  delightful  one  for  dwellings  Avere  it  not 
for  the  difficulty  of  access  and  the  entire  absence  of  trees,  which 
renders  it  bleak  and  unsheltered  both  in  appearance  and  in  fact 
cxcejit  in  the  ]")leasantc^it  of  weather.  Of  the  two  possible  nu^hods 
which  have  occin-red  to  us  for  utilizing  the  recreative  value  of  this 
hill  one  ])r()vidcs  for  developing  also  the  opportunity  which  it  pre- 
sents for  building  sites.  Starting  from  Thirteenth  Street,  we 
advise  widening  High  Street  on  the  vacant  north  side,  so  as  to 
make  it  at  least  the  equal  of  the  old  streets  in  liberality,  and  park- 
ing it  and  planting  it  with  trees.  p]ast  of  Fourteenth  High  Street 
now  A'anislies  into  nothing  up  the  steep  hillside.  A  parkway  in 
continuatio]"!  of  High  Street  should  be  carried  through,  in  a  cut, 
on  a  reasonably  easy  rising  grade,  until  it  reaches  the  surf^ice  of 
the  mesa  at  its  southerly  edge.  It  should  follow  this  edge 
api)roxiniately.  on  a  curving  line  working  off  in  an  easterly  and 
northeasterly  direction  at  the  level  of  the  flat  top  surface  of  the 
hill  tit  a  ])oint  whence  it  could  descend  again  by  a  reasonable 
grade,  mainly  in  cut  and  crossing  to  the  north  side  of  the  ridge, 
soi  as  to  meet  the  grade  of  TAventieth  Street  where  the  latter  goes 
through  the  saddle  between  the  west  and  east  ]iarts  of  the  hill. 
Thence  the  parkway  would  rise  again  on  a  line  just  north  of  the 
present  city  lioundary  and  again  woidd  skirt  the  southerly  escarp- 
ment of  the  hill  on  curving  lines  to  a  point  from  which  it  could 
descend  by  an  easy  grade  to  join  the  County  Eoad  just  as  it 
crosses  the  easterly  tail  of  the  hill. 

"Wherever  it  is  not  encroached  upon  l)y  houses — and  those 
points  are  fortunately  few — the  steep  hillside  below  this  proposed 
parkway  should  be  acquired  and  kept  permanently  open  to  protect 
the  view.  The  market  value  of  the  land  in  question  is  relatively 
trifling  because  it  is  for  the  most  part  too  steep  to  Imild  on  and 
most  of  it  is  rather  inaccessible.  The  parkway  itself  would  con- 
sist of  a  drive  of  moderate  width,  say  thirty  feet,  and  on  the 


THE  FRED'ERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

soutlierly  side  of  it.  fommaiulinj^-  ilio  view,  a  hi'oad  pi'oiiKMiade 
or  gathering  place,  with  benches,  tlie  whole  beijig  shaded  by 
rather  closely  planted  trees  forming  a  long  and  somewliat  wind- 
ing or  irregnlar  grove  rather  than  mere  rows  as  in  a  street.  The 
})ronienade  or  grove  ^wonld  yiwy  somewhat  in  widtii.  accoj'ding  to 
the  shape  of  the  hill,  from  a  mininnun  of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet 
n}»  to  perhai)s  fifty  or  seventy-five  feet  aiid  wcnild  sometimes  be 
on  the  same  level  as  the  drive  and  sometimes  a  little  below  it. 
The  water  rcqnired  for  in-igation  of  the  trees  wonld  be  delivered 
on  each  jiai't  ol'  the  hill  from  a  simple  fountain  which  might  in 
one  case  foi-ni  the  central  feature  of  a  concert  gro\'e  where  the 
band  could  play  occasionally  on  summer  evenings,  a  time  when 
this  promenade  Avould  be  peculiarly  attractive  because  of  catching 
every  breeze  that  stirs  across  the  city. 

The  level  land  of  the  hilltop  north  of  the  parkway  might  bo 
left  in  whole  or  in  part  available  for  building  sites  fronting  on 
the  parkway.  In  this  case  the  increased  value  of  the  land  as  a 
result  of  the  opening  of  such  a  parkway  would  offset  a  respect- 
able share  of  the  cost  of  land  and  construction.  But  it  would  be 
very  much  finer  if  the  whole  top  of  the  narrow  ridge  could  be 
kept  forever  open  as  a  place  of  public  recreation,  commanding 
the  views  to  the  north  and  northwest  as  well  as  those  to  the  south 
and  southwest. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  northern  part  of  the  hill  is  perhaps 
more  valuable  at  the  present  time  as  a  source  of  brick  clay  than 
for  any  other  purpose,  and  that  it  would  probably  be  very  costly 
to  make  an  adverse  taking  which  would  interfere  "with  the  estab- 
lished brick  industry  dependent  on  the  use  of  the  hill.  If,  how- 
ever, the  city  should  decide  on  the  parkway  and  establish  the 
grades  thereof  an  advantageous  co-operation  Avith  the  brick  works 
might  be  brought  about,  permitting  them  to  remove  the  surplus 
material  down  to  the  grade  of  the  parkway  where  it  is  in  heavy 
cut  at  the  north  end  with  little  or  no  expense  to  the  city,  and 
then  permitting  them  to  excavate  to  an  indefinite  extent  along 
the  north  side  of  the  parlcway,  provided  enough  material  were 
left  to  support  it  at  the  established  grade.  If  this  were  done  the 
parkway  in  this  section  would  be  a  peculiar  and  interesting  civic 

91 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

feature,  a  driveway  and  grove  accessible  on  easy  grades  but  stand- 
ing isolated  at  a  level  above  the  roofs  of  the  city,  over  which  it 
would  look  both  north  and  south  to  the  mountains. 

It  is  imjDortant  that  some  decision  should  be  reached  soon 
for  while  it  would  be  equally  convenient  for  the  brick  works  to 
adjust  their  excavations  to  the  plan  of  a  high  level  parkway,  they 
are  not  unlikel}',  in  the  absence  of  such  a  plan,  to  excavate  that 
portion  of  the  ridge  over  Avhich  the  parkway  sliould  run,  thus 
cornj^licating  or  wholly  blocking  the  project. 

Another  point  of  some  topographical  interest  for  park  pur- 
poses is  the  basin-like  valley  round  which  the  Farmers'   Ditch 

VALLEY  IN   NEWLAND'S  ^"'^^^^'"^  '^  ^'^^"8°  ^°°P   "^  ^^^^  Xcwlauds 

ADDITION  Addition.     It  is  true  that  the  soil  is 

a  wretched,  stiff,  alkaline  shale,  very  ill-adapted  for  the  growth 
of  park  vegetation,  soggy,  wet,  cold  and  undrained,  a  most  un- 
promising field  from  a  horticultural  standpoint.  Xevertheless 
would  we  gladly  see  a  park  established  there,  for  the  form  of  the 
ground,  within  the  boundaries  marked  by  the  Farmers'  Ditch  and 
Ninth  Street  and  First  Avenue,  is  from  the  artist's  point 
of  view  most  admirable,  and  the  way  it  lies  in  relation  to  the 
views  of  the  foothills  gives  opportunity  for  the  development  of 
a  beautiful  landscape  of  a  type  nowhere  else  to  be  found  in  Boul- 
der and  nowhere  else  in  the  city  possible  of  creation  in  so  perfect 
a  form. 

We  should  hesitate  to  cast  our  opinion  against  that  of  Mr. 
Andrews,  who  has  condemned  this  site  for  cultural  reasons;  indeed 
we  have  admitted  that  the  soil  is  wretched;  but  unless  the  case 
is  rendered  hopeless  by  factors  of  which  we  are  left  in  ignorance 
by  our  superficial  examination  we  should  think  it  possible  to  re- 
deem the  soil  sufficiently  by  thorough  underdrainage  and  irri- 
gation. This  process  might  cost,  at  a  guess,  say  $1,000  an  acre. 
For  park  purposes  the  land,  on  account  of  its  topography,  is  cer- 
tainly more  than  $1,000  an  acre  in  advance  of  the  value  of  any 
other  vacant  land  in  the  northwesterly  quarter  of  the  city,  and  at 
the  same  time  its  low,  wet  situation  must  make  it  much  less  val- 
uable for  most  other  purposes. 

92 


Chautauqua  Grounds 

The  cit}'  has  an  interesting  and  valuable  institution  in  tlie 
Chautauqua  grounds  and  buildings  and  one  wliich  ouglit  to  be- 
come increasingly  useful  as  time  goes  on.  It  is  a  sort  of  insti- 
tution that  may  be  expected  both  to  grow  and  to  alter  in  char- 
acter a  good  deal  from  decade  to  decade  as  new  conditions  and 
new  opportunities  of  usefulness  arise,  and  it  seems  to  us  peculiarly 
a  case  where  rigorous  adherence  to  a  predetermined  plan  of  devel- 
opment is  ahnost  out  of  the  question,  and  where  it  is  wise,  con- 
trary to  the  principle  which  should  ordinarily  be  followed  in  public 
works,  to  treat  much  of  the  improvements  as  frankly  temporary, 
making  tlie  first  cost  low  even  at  the  expense  of  higher  main- 
tenance charges.  This  has  been  the  policy  in  regard  to  much 
of  the  work  done  hitherto  and  we  mention  the  point  only  because 
this  is  one  of  the  rare  cases  in  which  such  a  temporizing  policy 
has  anything  to  commend  it.  We  do  not  mean  for  a  moment  to 
suggest  that  it  is  not  desirable  or  even  necessary  to  have  a  plan 
cf  develo])ment  and  to  work  to  that  plan.  Xothing  but  confu- 
sion and  waste  can  result  from  proceeding  without  a  programme 
of  well  defined  aims.  But  we  do  mean  to  suggest  that  this  is 
peculiarly  a  case  where  a  comprehensive  plan  cannot  be  drawn  up 
once  for  all  and  then  carried  out  piece  by  piece  literally  and  me- 
chanically just  as  drawn.  If  this  were  attempted  some  new  con- 
dition Avould  soon  turn  up  for  which  the  plan  made  no  provision 
and  something  would  have  to  be  done  contrary  to  the  plan,  or  at 
least  something  not  provided  for  therein.  After  a  few  such  occur- 
rences the  plan  would  appear  hopelessl}'^  out  of  date  and  would 
soon  be  disregarded.  The  only  wise  procedure  is  to  keep  the  gen- 
eral plan  alive  and  up  to  date  every  year  by  revising  it  to  meet 
new  conditions  as  fast  as  they  arise.  That  is  to  say,  wdien  there 
appears  to  be  good  reason  for  doing  something  contrary  to  the 
]ilan,  the  conditions  ought  to  be  scpiarely  faced  and  an  attempt 
made  to  see  just  how  such  a  change  would  affect  other  features 
of  the  plan  considered  as  a  consistent  whole.  If  the  changes 
still  seem  wise,  the  plan'  should  be  changed  first  and  the  work 
then  continued  in  accordance  with  the  up  to  date  plan.     Obvi- 

93 


liOL'LDER  CITY  niPROVEMEXT  ASSOCIATIOX 

misly  siu-li  c-lumges  and  adniitationjs  can  l)o  more  iinderstaiidingly 
made  l)y  the  man  rcsponsiMe  for  the  plan  tlian  hy  anyone  else. 

We  make  these  explanations  heeause  this  is  an  imptn-taur 
question  of  general  policy  and  also  heeause  we  were  consulted 
ahout  the  desirahility  of  departing  from  the  general  plan  pre- 
l)are(|  hy  ^\v.  I'arce.  It  is  a  good  plan  and  the  work  already  done 
under  it  is  interesting  and  very  attractive;  we  strongly  advise 
against  departing  from  it;  but  we  do  think  that  ]\[r.  Parce  and 
the  (Commission  might  consider  whether  it  would  ]iot  Ije  wise  to 
modify  it  at  certain  points.  For  one  thing  it  struck  us  that  it 
would  be  an  agreeable  addition  to  ]dant  a  considerable  number  of 
trees  on  the  terrace  of  the  Auditorium  with  a  view  to  providing 
shade  and  verdure  close  to  the  building  aiid  at  the  ])oinL  com- 
manding the  best  vieAv.  As  it  is  desirable  not  to  blanket  the 
Inulding  entirely,  these  trees  ought  to  Ite  low  and  spreading,  f(n'm- 
ing  a  sort  of  canopy  or  awning  about  the  base  of  the  building. 
AVe  had  in  mind  the  treatment  often  adopted  in  such  sitmitions 
in  European  countries,  where  it  is  common  to  use  sycamore  trees 
(Platanus  orientalis)  for  this  purpose.  They  are  planted  pi'etty 
closely,  even  as  close  as  15  or  20  feet  apart,  their  side  branches 
are  pruned  so  as  to  give  clean,  straight  stems  about  10  or  12  feet 
tall  and  at  that  level  the  branches  are  allowed  to  spread  but  the 
top  of  the  tree  is  headed  back  by  persistent  annual  pruning  so 
as  to  prevent  it  from  getting  more  than  15  or  18  feet  tall  alto- 
gether. Often  the  young  branches  that  push  up  above  the  stand- 
ard level  are  bent  down  and  forced  to  grow  horizontally  l>y  tying 
them  down  to  light  poles  extending  from  tree  to  tree.  With  a 
little  patience  and  persistence  a  living  arbor  can  be  formed  in  this 
way  that  would  give  shade  without  checking  the  lireeze  and 
greatly  enhance  the  attractiveness  of  such  a  terrace  as  that  of  tlie 
Chautauqua  Auditorium. 

Another  point  to  be  considered  is  whether  in  the  long  run 
the  sacrifice  of  a  good  part  of  the  view  from  this  terrace  will  not 
be  too  great  a  price  to  pay  for  the  advantage  of  having  a  grove  at 
the  particular  point  below  the  terrace  where  trees  have  been 
planted. 

A  third  point  to  be  considered  is  as  to  the  area  north  of  the 

.94 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OL^ISTED  JR.  REPORT 

Dining  ]l;ill.  In  view  of  ilie  necossnvih-  1onl;iti\c  ;iiiil  cxpci-i- 
niental  (levcl()])iiu'iu  of  llu'  grounds  we  ([iir^liuji  whcllicr  lln'  hii'ge 
oval  loiTju-i'  lor  leunis  c'()iirl>  is  (|iiiU'  justiriablr.  Il  is  a  rather 
large  niulertaking  that  nul^t  liu  piii  tiii'ough  conipU'lelv  at  one 
operalion  if  the  design  is  not  to  loolc  very  unfinished  and  con- 
fused, and  llie  anionnt  of  grading  is  I'alliei'  lai'ge  in  jji^oporl  ion  Id 
ilie  niinilier  oL'  eourts  Avliieli  can  lie  acconmiodaled  on  an  area  of 
this  form.  Further,  the  ])ractical  necessity  oL'  t;ill  hack-nets  for 
the  tennis  courts  would  introduce  a  very  eons|)icuous  and  iuliar- 
nuinious  f(n'nial  element,  built  on  a  rectangular  jilan  to  fii  the 
tennis  courts  and  seriously  injuring  the  effect  of  the  oval  witii 
its  border  of  informal  shi'uhhery  as  designed.  Bearing  in  nuud 
this  practical  re(piirenient  of  a  formal  character  aiul  the  fact  that 
the  straight  row  of  buildings  to  the  west  of  the  S])ace  aii'cady 
establishes  a  souiewhat  fmaual  treatjucut  of  that  side,  and  the 
further  fact  that  the  tennis  courts  must  Iuinc  a  dirt  surfaci_^ 
instead  of  a  turf  surface,  we  are  inclined  to  thiid\  that  it  would 
look-more  reasonable  (and  therefore  better)  to  plan  for  a  series  of 
terraces  rectangular  in  plan  and  suhstantially  jiarallel  with  the 
row  of  buildings,  each  tei'race  being  just  wide  enough  for  one  row 
of  courts.  The  fii-st  of  these  terraces,  coming  immediately  east 
of  the  road  on  which  the  Dining  Hall  faces,  could  ])rohahly  he  de- 
pressed enough  Ijelow  the  level  of  that  road  to  allow  the  steei) 
Lank  or  houhkr  wall  which  would  support  the  latter  to  serve 
instead  of  a  Ijack-net  on  the  west  side,  especially  if  sTipplemented 
by  a  parapet  or  closed  railing  along  its  upper  edge.  Tliis  avouU 
do  awav  v\'ith  an}'  obstruction  to  the  northward  view  from  this 
road  and  would  enable  people  to  stand  or  sit  ou  the  road  terrace 
and  look  down  upon  the  tennis  games  as  from  a  grandstand.  Of 
course  the  tennis  courts  ought  to  be  turned  with  their  long  axis 
approximately  north  and  south  so  that  the  afternoon  sun  will  not 
be  in  the  eyes  of  either  set  of  players.  The  first  terrace  of  such 
a  series  would  accommodate  as  many  courts  as  the  whole  oval, 
with  a  movement  of  hardly  more  than  half  the  quantity  of  ]na- 
terial,  and  the  plan  is  so  simple  that  it  woidd  not  look  unreason- 
able or  confused  in  design  to  build  part  of  such  a  terrace,  (enough 
say  for  two  or  three  courts  only)  at  the  first  go-off  and  to  extend 
it  later  on  when  the  demand  and  the  funds  might  justify.     I'he 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

number  oi'  courts  miglit  subsequently  be  doubled  or  trebled  by 
adding-  otber,  lower^  terraces  to  the  eastward. 

As  to  the  plan  for  cottages  facing  toward  the  Dining  Hall 
and  backing  upon  Park  Avenue  (the  Base  Line  Eoad),  about 
which  we  were  questioned,  we  are  in  some  doubt.  Unless  a 
reserved  space  of  some  width  is  left  between  the  street  and  the 
backs  of  the  cottages  and  is  well  planted  out,  there  is  a  danger 
that  the  effect  upon  the  general  public  and  upon  those  approach- 
ing the  grounds  by  electric  car  would  not  be  altogether  agreeable; 
and  further  uidess  some  rather  heavy  grading  were  done  the  cot- 
tages themselves  might  appear  to  be  rather  below  the  road  on 
which  they  were  facing,  or  at  all  events  too  much  below  the  bank 
on  the  uphill  side  of  it.  On  the  whole  we  are  inclined  to  think 
it  would  l)e  better  to  omit  this  row  of  cottage  sites  and  use  this 
part  of  the  grouiuls  ultimately  for  such  general  purposes  as  tennis 
and  basketball  courts,  a  little  children's  playground,  and  general 
park  purposes  in  which  the  public  entering  at  the  adjacent  gate 
is  more  interested  than  in  the  cottages.  The  best  opportunity  for 
the  institution  to  expand  in  case  of  need  is  westward,  and  the  land 
belonging  to  the  city  in  that  direction  ought  to  be  held  with  such 
possible  expansion  in  view. 

Up  the  hill  to  the  southwest  beyond  the  reservoir  there  is 
a  change  in  the  character  of  the  topography  and  scener}^,  and  it 
seems  to  us  of  the  utmost  importance  to  maintain  a  pronounced 
and  sharply  defined  difference  in  treatment.  The  Chautauqua 
grounds  ought  to  be  nicelv  kept,  orderly,  trim,  thoroughly 
domesticated  in  character.  If  they  are  expanded  from  time  to 
time  by  taking  in  additional  pieces  of  land,  this  character  of  treat- 
ment should  be  extended  also,  but  always  they  should  have  a  w^ell- 
marked  boundary  and  once  across  that  boundary  all  domestic 
niceness  of  finish  and  especially  all  garden-like  planting,  or  lawn- 
making  or  decoration — in  short  all  sophistication  whatever — 
should  be  loft  behind. 


The  City  Forest 

In  the  great  tract  of  unspoiled  foot-liill  scenery  lying  above 
and  beyond  the  Chautauqua  grounds  Boulder  has  a  priceless  pos- 
session. It  may  be  that  only  a  comparatively  small  proportion 
of  the  citizens  have  learned  to  make  full  use  of  it.  Indeed  most 
of  it  is  as  yet  so  ill-provided  Avitli  means  of  access  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  reach  it  at  all.  But  as  paths  and  well  planned  roads 
are  gradually  extended  through  the  tract  it  will  become  possible 
for  anyone  to  traverse  in  the  course  of  two  hours'  leisurely  walk- 
ing or  driving,  as  beautiful,  wild  and  refreshing  scenery  as  any 
that  thousands  upon  thousands  of  busy,  hard-working  Americans 
spend  largely  of  their  money  and  time  to  enjoy  by  traveling  thou- 
sands of  miles  from  home. 

We  have  little  specific  advice  to  offer  beyond  the  caution  not 
to  spoil  what  a  bountiful  nattire  has  provided.  The  qttalities 
that  make  such  scenery  precious  are  subtle  and  difficult  to 
analyze.  Verdure  of  a  richer  quality  than  these  foot-hills  have 
to  show  may  be  found  in  every  commonplace  suburb  in  the  coun- 
try; handsomer  trees  abound  throughout  at  least  three-qttarters 
of  the  United  States;  taller  and  more  precipitotts  cliffs,  deeper 
chasms,  are  to  be  found  along  the  canons  of  Wall  Street  and 
Broadway  and  in  the  business  districts  of  other  great  centers  of 
popttlation  throughout  the  cottntry.  But  on  the  foothills  of 
Boulder,  beside  the  intrinsic  beauty  of  color  and  form  and  tex- 
ture in  the  wonderfully  sculptured  surfaces  of  earth,  in  the  rock 
masses  and  in  the  vegetation;  beside  the  impression  of  spacious- 
ness and  freedom  derived  from  the  height  of  the  peaks,  the  depth 
of  the  valleys  and  the  breadth  of  sweeping  outlook  over  iniles 
of  varied  open  plain;  there  is  beyond  all  that,  a  sense  of  escape 
from  the  tiresome  evidences  of  the  httman  management  of  cver}'- 
thing  in  sight  Avhich  pervades  all  civilized  life  and  especially  life 
in  cities.  The  more  higbly  civilized  our  life  becomes  and  tho 
more  skillfully  and  perfectly  all  our  affairs  are  managed  by  humnn 
agencies,  the  more  we  come  to  value  the  means  of  securing  occa- 
sional relief  from  the  insistent  pressure  of  human   contact   and 

97 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVE^IENT  ASSOCIATION 

cdiitrol.  Tliorei'ore  the  one  |)rinri])lc  before  all  others  that  should 
control  the  management  of  Boulder's  City  Forest  in  the  foot-hills, 
is  to  avoid  every  single  thing  that  would  obtrude  the  idea  of 
human  control  of  the  scenery,  except  insofar  as  is  necessary  to 
provide  convenient  means  of  making  the  scenery  accessible. 
Eoads  and  paths,  well  planned,  on  easy  grades,  to  lead  people 
v.'ithout  undue  effort  to  tlie  most  lovely  points  of  view  are  cer- 
tainly needed.  But  they  should  be  so  designed  as  to  be  as  unob- 
trusive as  |)ossible  and  from  the  very  edge  of  the  traveled  way, 
if  possible,  Xature  should  appear  to  be  in  full  comniand.  Some- 
times to  accomplish  this  end  may  require  more  interference  with 
nature  at  the  time  of  constructing  the  road  or  path  than  the 
businesslike  engineer  woidd  regard  as  lu'cessary.  The  minimum 
of  construction,  for  example,  might  leave  a  raw,  stiff,  artificial 
bank  of  earth  beside  the  traveled  way  some  twenty  feet  in  Avidtli, 
of  such  a  character  that  the  jirocesses  of  nature  would  not  subdue 
it  and  bring  it  into  harmony  with  the  rest  of  the  hillside  for  sev- 
eral generations  if  unassisted,  Avhereas  by  flattening  and  modelling 
the  Ijank  and  merging  its  edge  with  the  surface  beyond,  the  way 
might  be  prepared  for  nature  to  repossess  the  surface  in  a  short 
time,  leaving  the  traveled  way  itself  as  the  only  conspicuous  mark 
of  dominant  Imman  interference.  But  very  oftc-n  in  such  rough 
and  rocky  ground,  especially  on  steep  side-hills,  a  rough  wall  to 
support  the  lower  side  of  the  road  leaves  the  least  conspicuous 
mark  of  luim;in  interference  beyond  the  traveled  way.  and  has  the 
great  advantage  of  stopping  sharply  and  not  "dril:)bling""  out  over 
the  landscape.  Other  human  structures  may  be  needed  here  and 
there  in  time,  bridges  and  shelters  for  example.  But  any  such 
things  should  have  two  invariable  characteristics;  unobtrusiveness 
in  design,  material  and  color,  depending  in  detail  upon  the  nature 
of  the  immediate  background  and  surroundings;  and  such  per- 
manence of  character  that  nature  can  have  time  to  adopt  them  as 
her  own  by  the  processes  of  surface  Aveathering  and  the  growth 
of  lichens  and  of  larger  vegetation  upon  and  about  them,  long  be- 
fore they  are  so  far  decayed  as  to  need  renewal. 

Above  all  no  single   thing  should  ever  be  done  within  the 
limits  of  the  City  Forest  with  a  view  to  decoration,  for  human 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

decorations  are  1)ouik1  to  l)e  trivial  and  distractin.^:-  if  a[>iiliril   to 
nature  on  this  great  ^eale. 

To  guard  against  the  del'aeenient  of  tlie  Toothills  by  lire  or 
!)}•  careless  private  exploitation  the  area  now  controlled  In'  the 
city  ought  to  be  gradually  and  systematically  extended  so  as  to 
include  all  of  the  frontal  escarpment  directly  in  view  of  the  city, 
reaching  southward  beyond  South  Boulder  Peak  and  northward 
to  the  vicinity  of  Two  ^file  C*anon.  So  much  of  this  land  as 
is  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Government  ought  to  be  secured  as 
a  gift  on  condition  that  it  be  held  forever  as  a  public  forest. 

A  plan  ought  to  be  devised  for  a  system  of  first-class  roads 
on  easy  grades  leading  through  the  most  interesting  passages  of 
^cenery  that  can  thus  be  made  accessible;  and  then  each  year  as 
]niudi  road  should  he  built,  according  to  plan,  as  the  city  feels 
ready  to  pay  for.  Walking  trails,  being  so  much  more  flexible 
in  location  and  so  much  cheaper  to  build  need  not  be  so  thor- 
oughly pilanned  in  advance.  Ijut  a  certain  amount  of  planning  and 
construction  of  trails  should  be  done  each  year  as  well. 

One  other  small  improvement  of  some  importance  is  the 
establishment  of  conveniences  for  picnicing  at  certain  selected 
points,  especially  at  points  where  water  is  available.  At  these 
points  convenient  stone  hearths  should  be  prepared  so  situated 
and  designed  as  to  minimize  to  the  utmost  the  danger  of  tho 
spread  of  fire,  and  a  supply  of  firewood  should  be  kept  on  hand 
so  that  every  inducement  will  be  offered  to  the  '"beefsteak 
parties"  and  to  campers  to  use  these  points  and  no  others  for 
fires.  Stringent  rules  should  then  he  pniblished  agninst  the 
making  of  fires  except  at  the  designated  camping  places. 

When  we  urged  above  that  beyond  building  necessary  roads 
and  structures  nothing  should  he  done  in  the  forest  that  would 
obtrude  the  idea  of  human  control,  we  did  not  mean  to  imply 
that  nothing  at  all  sliould  be  done  to  it.  Protection  against  fire 
is  an  essential,  and  the  utilization  and  sale  of  the  timber  as  it 
ripens  to  merchantable  size  is  a  reasonable  and  proper  use  of  the 
forest,  ])rovided  it  be  done  in  a  conservative  maimer  and  with  due 
regard  to  certain  special  passages  of  scenery  where  venerable  and 
even    decrepit    trees    are    important    elements    of    scenic    value. 

99 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

Indeed  there  are  thousands  of  places  where  the  present  con- 
dition of  sparse  small  tree  growth,  by  permitting  an  unobstructed 
outlook  from  road,  path  or  other  special  vantage  point,  offers 
greater  enjoyment  of  scenery  than  would  be  the  case  were  the 
trees  to  grow  to  full  size  and  density  of  stand.  The  new  forest 
growth  is  spreading  steadily  down  over  the  lower  slopes  and  thick- 
ening above,  and  throughout  a  large  jiart  of  the  reservation  the 
time  will  soon  be  ripe  to  begin  systematic  thinnings  and  cuttings, 
whether  the  matter  be  regarded  mainly  from  the  point  of  view 
of  scenic  enjoyment,  as  we  believe  it  should,  or  from  the  stand- 
point of  economic  forestry.  While  we  believe  that  the  ordinary 
considerations  of  economic  forestry  should  here  be  secondary,  we 
can  see  no  reason  why  they  should  be  wholly  disregarded;  and 
with  the  steadily  rising  price  of  timber  there  is  no  reason  why  the 
forest  should  not,  iinder  proper  management,  bring  in  a  small 
return  from  timber  sales,  sufficient,  presumably,  to  pay  the 
expenses  of  protection  and  care,  so  that  the  city  would  be  bur- 
dened only  with  the  cost  of  such  improvements  as  new  roads  and 
Trails. 

Another  small  source  of  income  which  can  be  utilized  to  the 
distinct  advantage  of  the  scenery  is  the  grazing  privilege.  There 
are  a  numl)er  of  tracts,  especially  on  the  lower  slopes  and  on  the 
mesas,  where  persistent  grazing,  if  properly  regulated  as  to 
amount,  will  tend  to  extend  and  maintain  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful types  of  quiet  landscape  that  can,  anywhere  be  found,  the 
park  type  of  landscape  in  the  true  sense  of  that  misused  word, 
a  type  of  smooth-ero])ped  pastoral  land  merging  into  open  wood- 
land with  scattered  trees  and  groups  of  trees  and  shady  groves 
and  open  sunny  glades  intermingling  and  merging  one  into  the 
other  in  a  succession  of  charming  picturesque  compositions  of  end- 
less variety  and  beauty. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  people  of  Boulder  will  never  he 
beguiled  into  permitting  the  establishment  upon  Flagstaff  Moun- 
tain, or  elsewhere  in  the  midst  of  the  Municipal  Forest,  of  a 
so-called  amusement  i)ark  such  as  hasi  been  proposed  in  connec- 
tion Avith  a  project  of  an  inclined  railway.  This  is  not  because 
we  have  any  objection  to  amusement  parks  as  such;  we  have  laid 

100 


THE  FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED  JR.  REPORT 

them  out  and  we  fully  appreciate  the  amount  of  pleasure  they 
can  give.  xVlso  we  fully  appreciate  the  fact  that  if  they  occupy 
sites  of  peculiar  natural  interest  they  will  draw  larger  crowds  than 
otherwise;  for  many  are  attracted  l)y,  points  of  natural  interest 
made  easily  accessible  who  would  not  go  out  of  their  way  for  the 
''amusements"  alone,  although  when  they  are  on  the  spot  they 
are  apt  to  follow  the  herd  and  leave  their  share  of  nickels  behind. 
Tlie  promoters  of  the  shows  and  the  transportation  companies 
gain  from  this  combination  and  those  who  go  primarily  for  the 
sake  of  the  amusements  get  a  mild  flavoring  of  the  sauce  of 
scenery  along  with  their  salad  of  varied  excitements  and  amuse- 
ments. The  people  who  go  primarily  for  the  sake  of  the  scenery 
are  apt  to  be  in  doubt  whether  they  are  the  more  pleased  to  have 
it  accessible  or  the  more  disgusted  to  have  their  attention  dis- 
tracted by  so  many  incongnious  sights  and  sounds. 

The  enjoyment  of  scenery  is  a  good  deal  like  the  enjoyment 
of  music.  A  great  many  people,  probably  the  majority  of  people, 
are  rather  pleased  to  hear  music,  if  it  is  not  too  loud  or  too 
absorbing,  when  they  are  at  a  gay  dinner  party  and  busily  engaged 
in  chatting  and  eating  their  dinner.  It  is  the  habit  of  some  of 
the  vulgar  rich  to  treat  the  best  of  opera  music  in  the  same  way, 
as  a  mere  sauce  to  conversation  in  their  boxes.  But  no  one  who 
really  enjoys  music  wants  to  be  distracted  from  a  great  per- 
former's playing  by  conversation  or  dinner  or  a  game  of  billiards 
or  any  of  a  thousand  and  one  things  that  he  might  be  glad  to 
do  at  some  other  time  and  place. 

The  scenery  of  Flagstaff  Mountain  is  too  noble,  too  magnifi- 
cent, too  precious,  to  be  wasted  in  serving  as  an  almost  unheeded 
accompaniment  to  the  fun  of  roller  coasters,  moving  pictures  and 
vaiideville  shows.  There  are  dozens  of  places  near  Boulder  where 
a  pretty  and  attractive  amusement  park  could  be  laid  out  and 
provided  with  transportation  facilities  at  less  expense  than  on 
Flagstaff  Mountain  and  where  it  would  draw  just  about  as  big 
a  crowd  and  give  just  about  as  much  ]:)leasure,  whereas  an  amuse- 
ment park  on  Flagstaff  Mountain  woidd  to  a  great  extent  ruin 
the  highest  value  possessed  by  the  whole  City  Forest,  namely,  that 

101 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

when  you  get  into  it  you  pass  into  a  different  world  from  the 
city,  into  a  place  of  quiet  mountain  sceneiy,  remote  and  vast, 
■\vliere  the  weary  can  find  peace. 


Public  Buildings 

Tlie  matter  ot:  piil^lie  Luiklings  and  their  location  is  one  to 
which,  in  onr  brief  study  of  the  city,  we  did  not  give  the  attention 
which  the  subject  deserves.  But  we  could  not  help  noticing  that 
the  present  arrangements  for  the  City  Hall  and  other  city  offices 
are  a  makeshift,  neither  coiivenient  nor  by  any  means  worthy  of 
the  community. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  it  is  desirable,  within  reasonable 
limits,  to  group  together  the  main  public  buildings  of  a  city,  both 
as  a  matter  of  convenience  and  for  the  sake  of  appearance,  and 
when  one  examines  the  opportunity  of  making  such  a  grouping 
in  Boulder  he  is  confronted  with  two  alternatives.  The  City  has 
a  distinct  center  in  Court  House  Square  and  the  thought  natur- 
ally suggests  itself  that  the  principal  public  buildings  ought  to 
be  grouped  around  this  square.  But  since  the  sides  of  the  square 
are  already  occupied  by  private  property  of  considerable  value  a 
good  deal  of  expense  wotild  be  involved  in  such  an  improvement 
and  one  looks,  as  an  alternative,  for  some  cheaper  property  where 
a  new  center  could  be  formed. 

The  Pearl  Street  frontage  on  Court  House  S([uare  is  part 
of  the  principal  shojDping  street,  and  apart  from  the  expense  of 
acquiring  the  property  for  public  buildings  there  is  a  strong  objec- 
tion, for  general  commercial  reasons,  to  the  complete  interrup- 
tion of  the  continuity  of  stores  along  such  a  shopping  street. 
We  may  therefore  dismiss  the  Pearl  Street  frontage  as  a  site  for 
public  buildings.  On  the  Thirteenth  Street  frontage  the  new 
hotel  has  just  been  erected,  a  quasi-public  building  of  the  sort 
that  can  very  properly  form  part  of  a  civic  center.  It  is  to  be 
carefully  considered  whether  the  remainder  of  the  Thirteenth 
Street  frontage  and  the  frontage  on  Spruce  and  Fourteenth 
Streets  cannot  reasonably  be  utilized  for  public  buildings.  The 
price  of  such  sites,  taking  into  account  land  and  buildings,  would 
be  relativclv  high,  bttt  the  advantage  of  facing  Court  House 
Square,  the  great  convenience  of  such  a  grouping  in  so  central 
a  locality,  and  the  architectural  effect  made  possible,  would  be 
worth  paying  a  good  price  for. 


BOULDER  CITY  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

Conditions  do  not  seem  to  favor  starting  a  new  center.  The 
nearest  locality  M'here  a  sufficiently  large  block  of  land  to  make 
a  really  good  group  could  be  secured  at  a  low  price  is  toward 
Boulder  Creek,  and  apart  from  the  prejudice  against  a  low  site 
and  one  which  is  now  in  such  unattractive  condition,  this  is 
objectionable  because  of  its  being  separated  from  the  business 
center  of  the  town  by  the  railroad. 

Fine  isolated  sites  for  public  buildings  or  monuments  are  to 
be  found  at  the  northerly  ends  of  several  streets  where  they 
terminate  against  Lovers'  Hill,  and  in  planning  and  acquiring 
tlie  proposed  parkwa}'  along  that  hill  it  would  be  well  to  secure 
public  control  of  these  strategic  points,  which  can  so  readily  be 
used  for  striking  features  at  the  termini  of  the  several  street 
vistas.  The  opportunity  is  particularly  good!  at  the  ends  of 
Fourteenth,  Sixteenth,  Seventeenth,  Eighteenth  (if  we  remember 
correctly)  and  Twenty-Third  Streets.  A  glance  northward  on 
Fifteenth  Street,  the  vista  of  which  is  closed  by  a  small  private 
house,  will  suggest  the  value  of  a  proper  architectural  treatment 
of  these  sites  and  the  desirability  of  getting  them  into  public 
possession. 


104 


Control  Over  Private   Property 

This  report  has  already  drawn  itself  out  to  such  length  that 
Ave  mnst  not  further  extend  it  by  entering  upon  a  general  dis- 
cussion of  the  pregnant  subject  of  the  control  Avhich  may  rea- 
sonably and  wisely  be  exerted  by  the  municipality  over  the  free- 
dom of  the  individual  to  use  his  property  according  to  his  per- 
sonal pleasure  without  regard  to  the  interests  and  wishes  of  his 
neio-hbors. 

AVe  cannot,  however,  forbear  to  touch  upon  one  point,  the 
matter  of  billboards  and  display  advertising.  Xo  one  can  ques- 
tion that  the  presence  of  large  and 
THE  BILLBOARD  NUISANCE  f,equently  garish  advertising  signs, 
designed  specifically  to  stand  out  strikingly  from  their  surround- 
ings and  violently  arrest  the  attention,  is  more  or  less  irritating 
and  annoying  to  most  people  and  tends  to  make  the  city  less 
agreeable  in  appearance.  Not  infrequently  an  acceptable  piece 
of  information  is  conveyed  to  the  mind,  especiallv  in  the  case  of 
posters  announcing  some  entertainment  or  other  passing  event, 
but  it  is  very  seldom  that  the  ordinary  citizen  gets  any  advantage 
from  the  signs  and  posters  that  compensates  him  for  the  annoy- 
ance. It  is  clearly  a  case  where  the  privilege  of  the  abutter  upon 
a  public  highway  to  see  and  to  be  seen  by  the  passing  public  is 
liable  to  abuse,  and  frequently  is  abused  to  the  detriment  of  the 
general  public  which  pays  for  maintaining  the  street.  When  the 
abuse  goes  so  far  as  to  give  indubitable  offense  to  public  morals 
or  health  through  the  nature  of  the  advertisement  or  through  the 
erection  of  a  shield  Avhich  invites  the  commission  of  nuisances  by 
others;  or  when  the  abuse  goes  so  far  as  to  cause  serious  risk  of 
life,  limb  or  property  through  the  maintenance  of  structurally 
dangerous  or  inflammable  billboards;  then  the  courts  will  protect 
a  complainant  under  the  law  of  nuisance,  if  anybody  is  willing  to 
take  the  trouble  to  go  to  law  about  a  matter  which  is  everybody's 
business  and  therefore  nobody's  business.  In  our  easy-going 
American  way  most  of  iis  hate  to  take  an  unpleasant  initiative,  or 
to  risk  getting  the  reputation  of  being  fault-finding  busy-bodies; 

105 


BOULDER  CITY  niPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

so  we  do  not  get  tlio  I'clief  ami  protection  I'rom  sudi  miisanees 
^vhiell  we  jniglit  get  even  under  the  coinnion  law.  But  the  rourts 
are,  i)roperly,  so  conservative  and  cautious  about  arl)itrarily  inter- 
fering witli  an  individual's  use  of  his  own  property  tliat  tlie  alnise 
has  to  he  a  crying  and  outrageous  one  hefore  the  courts  will  order 
it  to  he  ahated  under  the  law  of  nuisances.  And.  up  to  that  point 
there  is  now  ]io  relief  or  mitigation  of  the  abuse.  The  most 
effective  way  to  deal  with  it  ap]iears  to  be  by  license  and  taxa- 
tion^ the  same  metliod  that  is  used  to  control  many  other  busi- 
ness enterprises  Avhich  are  legitimate  but  liable  to  abuse. 

The  re(|uiremeut  of  a  license  before  any  sign  may  be  ]»ublic]y 
exhibited,  (jther  than  one  relating  to  business  carried  on  upon  the 
premises;  the  rec|iiirement  that  anv  sign  or  structure  for  the  sup- 
port and  exhibition  of  signs  or  posters  which  may  be  erected  under 
the  license  shall  be  securely  built,  and  of  fireproof  material  (gal- 
vanized iron  is  commonly  used) ;  the  imposition  of  a  reasonably 
heavy  annual  license  tax  based  i"i}K)n  the  size  of  the  sign  or  hill- 
board  authorized  by  the  license;  and  a  proviso  that  the  license  may 
1)6  revoked  or  suspended  at  the  discretion  of  the  licensing  author- 
ity in  case  any  immoral,  indecent  or  fraudulent  advertisement  is 
exhibited;  these  measui'cs  are  legally  ])racticable  and  will  lend  to 
keep  the  abiises  of  the  Ijusiness  within  bounds. 

In  closing  this  long  and  discursive  report  we  Iteg  to  express 
the  pleasure  and  interest  we  took  in  our  visit  to  Boulder,  brief 
as  it  was,  and  the  interest  with  which  we  look  forward  to  the 
results  of  a  fuller  awakening  of  the  citizens  to  the  peculiar  oppor- 
tunities of  the  situation  and  to  the  need  of  a  progressive  munic- 
ipal policy  in  consei'ving  and  developing  them. 

Eespectfully  submitted, 

OLMSTED  BEOTHEES, 
Landscape  Architects. 
Brookline.  !Mass. 
Xov.  !Hh.  lOOS. 


K 


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